Gun violence is ripping through the nation. While it’s only the second weekend in July, already the shootings are mounting.

Some folks walk around saying, “Parks aren’t safe. Walking to the store isn’t safe. Chilling on the block isn’t always safe.” Stats speak to a frightening gun violence surge.

Under pressure to stem the violence caused by out-of-state weapons flooding New York City streets, speaking Tuesday at press conference in Brownsville, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced, “We started an initiative back on May 12, which gives us the equivalent of 320 police officers per week. We’re utilizing impact overtime to fund this initiative. These officers went to Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens—every borough was represented in the deployment. They’ve patrolled such areas as East New York, Brownsville, Williamsburg, Soundview, Mott Haven and the North Bronx. Since this initiative commenced, crime in housing has trended in the right direction. As you sit here today and as I stand here, overall crime, overall felony index crime in the housing bureau, is down 2.1 percent. This is the first time since 2009 that crime has been down.

“We have a decrease of 8 percent in murders. Our robberies show a decrease. Our grand larcenies show a decrease. Our grand larceny autos show a decrease. Shootings are up this year in housing, but with the addition of these officers, as well as the work of the other agencies in this plan, we’re looking to stem, abate that, keep them under control, and certainly we look to reduce them.”

Just this past weekend, a record-setting 12 people were shot within five hours. One of the victims was Tamecca Haskins, a 32-year-old woman who was fatally shot and killed in Brooklyn. It is just one of many gun-related incidents Brooklyn has faced in the past couple months. Reports conclude that shootings have increased throughout the city, but Brooklyn seems to be the area that is facing the most turmoil. Folks suspect that warmer weather is one factor contributing to this phenomenon, as more people hang out outside. Gang activity is another factor being observed.

Different methods are being used to implement changes and raise awareness concerning gun violence. Councilman Robert Cornegy has been regarded for his work to reduce gun violence by offering legislative proposals and serving on the Gun Violence Task Force.

“Part of this whole alternative to gun violence is awareness,” Cornegy disclosed. June 23, he arranged black wooden silhouettes on the corner of Clarkson Avenue and DeKalb Avenue, where 16-year-old Michael Moore was shot and killed. In addition, he held a community day at Herbert Von King Park Monday, June 30 to raise awareness about gun violence. The different activities included a free barbecue, a rap battle contest and various resources, for example, education and legal, used to benefit the community.

This week, de Blasio rolled out his initiative to “make New York City’s neighborhoods and housing developments safer.” The mayor stated that out of the new 600 recruits who graduated Monday, June 30, “the housing bureau received 101 of these officers. These officers will be assigned to two of our four impact zones. They’ll be assigned to an impact zone in PSA 5, not too far away in the Taft, Johnson, Jefferson and King developments, and the other officers will be assigned to PSA 7 in the Bronx.”

De Blasio declared, “What’s different this year is that these officers will have more supervisors assigned to guide them. And what’s really different is that we’re working together with the community—the community is our partner. With the partner-officer program, members of the clergy and local residents will be walking alongside these officers, introducing them to other members of the community, keeping them informed and apprised of any crime issues or other concerns that warrant our attention.”

New Yorkers aren’t alone in experiencing this unfortunate state of events. Chicago, for example, had a horrendous weekend with over 50 shootings, and while the Windy City has been winning its battle against gun violence, with murders on the decline, last weekend put the city back on the map, as 82 people were shot and 14 people were killed.

While the Fourth of July is marked with fireworks and celebration, in Chicago, bullets flew during the holiday weekend, with leaders scrambling for answers and help. The recipe for the violence includes going after gangs, drugs and guns.

As the nation awaits former Chicagoan President Barack Obama to address this bloodletting, the Rev. Gregory Seal Livingston, Illinois chairman of the National Action Network, is calling for a summit on urban violence and has commitments for participation from national civil rights leaders and organizations.

Livingston stated, “If [Mayor] Rahm [Emanuel] can raise money for his campaign, he can raise money to replace resources that have been ripped from the disadvantaged and challenged communities, where senseless violence erupted once again this weekend. School closings and union busting are just a few of the grave issues that affect this nature of violence. I am calling for national leaders—Marc Morial of the National Urban League, Cornell Brooks of the NAACP and the Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network—to meet in Chicago for a national summit on the violence that plagues urban America.”

“The number of shootings and murders that took place over the holiday weekend is simply unacceptable, and points out that we still have work to do,” said Emanuel. “The solution does not just include policing, although we’ll continue to look for ways to put more police where they’re needed. We also have to give our young people alternatives to the street, and as a community, we need to demand more of ourselves and our neighbors.”

Victims of the shootings were mostly Black and Latino males and lived on Chicago’s South Side. Five of the shootings over the weekend involved police, including that of a 16-year-old boy who was being pursued by cops. Officers allege the teen, Warren Robinson, had a gun while he was hiding under a car. Officers told him to drop his weapon, and the teen refused, resulting in officers firing 20 shots.

Reports indicate the teen’s mother said her son did not have a gun, and witnesses say they did not see a weapon when Robinson put his hands in the air.

“Englewood and South Shore had it lit up,” said Andrew Holmes, an anti-violence activist, in one report. “You had some people that were literally limping to the ambulance. They weren’t waiting.”

Holmes added that the holiday weekend brought people out, and mixing drugs and alcohol with an already growing violence problem caused things to boil over. Holmes operates the violence tip hotline 800-UTELLUS.

“You have the gang-related shootings, then you have the shootings over drug money. Then you have people that may have too much alcohol, too much drugs [who] get into a fight. They’re taking it to an all-time high, and they grab a weapon,” he said.

Speaking on local television this week, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said Chicago is in a “state of emergency” and that several factors, including 50 public schools closing and many vacant lots, are to blame for the danger.

“We need not just more policemen, but more teachers and more coaches and some plan for an economic reconstruction,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with the people—the structure must change.”

Jackson’s organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is based in Chicago.

“We have a plan for reconstruction in Iraq, Afghanistan and other dangerous zones, but there is no plan for reconstruction in our hometown of Chicago. In the meantime, we live in horror until next Monday’s body count. We deserve better,” Jackson said.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry F. McCarthy announced that the Chicago Police Department has seized more than 3,390 firearms to date in 2014. McCarthy and his police command staff, including District Commander Maria Pena, are calling for stronger state gun laws.

“The comprehensive policing strategy we have implemented in conjunction with continued community support has resulted in fewer shootings and a significant reduction in crime overall, but there is much more to be done,” said McCarthy. “Our efforts will continue unabated until all Chicagoans gain the same sense of security, but better laws are needed to reduce the proliferation of illegal guns in our communities.”

Police in Chicago recover more illegal guns than officers in any city in the country, yet without a state law requiring real jail time for criminals carrying illegal guns, offenders can quickly return to the street.