City leaders in Racine spoke out against a spike in violence this year on Monday.
Racine Mayor Cory Mason and other officials gathered outside city hall to address the crime.
This year's six homicides in Racine doubles the amount of homicides this time last year. Police also note a 43% increase in shots fired calls this year.
This weekend a local business owner was killed trying to break up a fight. The victim was 42-year-old Terrance Blair.
It is a situation officials say was a tragic loss in the community.
"This cannot stand as the new normal for Racine," Mayor Mason said Monday afternoon. "Gun violence cannot be tolerated in the City of Racine. We have to support the police department and efforts to keep the community safe."
As Mayor Mason made a demand to put down the guns, he was flanked by city leaders calling to curb a disturbing trend of violence in the city.
“We are all looking for ways to address this gun violence and that’s what we have. We have far too many guns that are available,” said Police Chief Maurice Robinson.
Chief Robinson held a private community listening session to hear citizens’ concerns on Monday.
“It kind of punctuates the rise in violence we’ve seen over the last several months, but it hits home when it’s someone you directly know,” said Racine Common Council President John Tate II.
Tate said he hopes the city’s violence outreach works to hopefully help turn around lives for those in need.
“The reality is when you live by the sword and you die by the sword and we don’t want to see people going down that path because, one, you can’t come back from it and two, you don’t understand the damage you’re doing.”
Police say they are still looking for the suspects in Blair’s murder. The city says it is looking at ways to help keep young people engaged as the summer approaches.
