BUFFALO, N.Y. — There were five shootings on Wednesday, all in the span of a few hours, with some linked to domestic violence.
The most recent shooting happened early Saturday morning on Block Street, just south of Genesee Street on Buffalo's East Side.
Police say a 22-year-old was taken to Erie County Medical Center, but this recent crime wave has neighbors calling for serious changes.
Violence has been such a problem in Buffalo that a group formed two months ago to help community members cope with the death of their loved ones. It's called Mothers Against Violence, and it was started by Billie and Monica Webster.
"The mother's voices are key to stopping a lot of the craziness in our city. The mothers are never heard. If you notice in interviews, it's usually the guys on the frontlines and all of that, but the mothers are the ones who deal with it in their household," Billie Webster said.
So much so, they're even trying to figure out ways to end the violence in the city.
Mae Bynum's son was shot and killed on the streets of Buffalo in 2011. She's now a member of Mothers Against Violence, and she hopes more people will pay attention to the mental health of children before they're influenced by bad choices.
"We need in the schools, in the churches, in the centers, anywhere, they really need to do evaluations on people's emotions," Bynum said.
Mental health aid and youth mentor intervention have been suggested by community leaders as a way to prevent violence.
Kahlif Shabazz used to be a part of the violence and says he wishes he had that guidance.
"I needed it but we never really had it," he said. "It's the environment and influence. You don't realize how much you're going to be influenced."
The city is also working to prevent violence on the streets through several initiatives.
Mayor Byron Brown says the city's budget is funding $150,000 to the Buffalo Peacemakers, it has increased funding for the mayor's summer employment and internship program, and it's offering scholarships to kids so they can go to summer school in order to address learning loss during the pandemic.
"Any violence is too much. We don't want to see violence at all in our community," Brown said.