Albany seeking ways to stop violence as homicides mount

ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) - With two weeks left in 2018, community members in the city of Albany are reflecting on a year that came with more than a dozen fatal shootings and wondering when and how it will end.

The most recent shooting happened Monday night killed a 28-year-old.

"One is too many, 15 is a lot," said community leader Jamil Hood.

15 - the number of fatal shootings in Albany this year.

Anthony Mann moved to Albany 16 years ago from New Jersey after he dealt with his own loss from violence.

"I had a son that I lost, 13 years old, and I had a nephew, he was 19 years old, got shot and killed," Mann told CBS6.

He says seeing the growing violence here is heartbreaking.

"I mean this thing is getting out of hand," Mann said.

So where do you begin to fix it?

Community leaders like Hood say it starts at home and in the streets.

"Folks in the community are so numb to it because it's a repeated thing," he said.

Hood works with the city's youth in keeping them off the streets and away from the violence.

"We have to stop and bring hope and community dialogue that's going to bring out resources to stop this stuff within our youth," Hood said.

Albany Pastor Charlie Muller with Victory Church believes it needs to go beyond that heading into the new year.

"[After] the last murder on 1st and Quail [St.], we put up 13 cameras," he said. "I'm watching crime every night."

Muller - who's provided programs for 20 years and consistently holds gun takeback events - strongly believes the shootings stem from other crime or drug deals.

"Because we've worked so many years in the community, we're recognizing, this is a pattern this is in certain areas and these areas are target areas, so what I'd like to see, those targeted areas just completely policed," Muller said.

"Policed" to prevent another 15 fatalities in 2019.

"I don't want to see another shooting," the pastor said. "And I don't want to see another shooting where perhaps another child gets shot and killed."

Again, police are still looking for the person who shot and killed Dalon Blunt, 28, Monday night. If you have any information, you can submit it anonymously to capitalregioncrimestoppers.com.