TOLEDO, Ohio — As Toledo continues to see a violent year, a pair of community leaders, say they're worried.
And, they're calling for something to change while asking everyone to keep alert out there.
"Turmoil. We are in a space of time right now where we're seeing a lot of influx of crime is happening in our community," said Reggie Williams, the Executive Director of the Frederick Douglass Community Association.
It's been crime scene, after crime scene, after crime scene lately.
And Williams, who lives in the Junction Neighborhood says he's experienced it too often.
"What I witness myself is the gunfire. Even when I'm at home. You know just hearing the rapid gunfire," said Williams.
Williams, a father and advocate of his community says it's a cause for awareness.
Now he's asking people to be cautious and alert.
"It's a sad moment that we're in," said Mount Nebo Baptist Church Pastor Cedric Brock. "We're hearing a lot of sad things regarding the violence and how things happen, what's going on with them. Right now, we're praying."
Brock says he and his church go to some of the victim's homes to pray.
Both say there are groups fighting violently, back and forth, and both are asking you to take action, too.
"Now we're into a point where you know we want people to be cautious and reserve themselves to you know stay amongst people who they're comfortable with. Stay away from any type of conflict," said Williams.
But we've seen that conflict again and again as the city nears a record number of homicides.
And these community leaders say one way to change that is for the people to speak up.
"Silence kills. We gotta say something. Sad. We know that people may not feel safe but we gotta trust the system of protection. And know that we have to be the voice that will bring us help stop this violence that's going on in our communities," said Pastor Brock.
As we've mentioned all week, Crimestoppers wants to hear from you if you have any information that can solve a crime.
It's the same if you see or know of anything happening this weekend.
That number is 419-255-1111.