ALBANY, N.Y. — As Albany police continue to investigate a series of shootings and homicides that has plagued the city this summer, residents are still seeking solutions and answers to the problem.

Residents spoke out on the string of violence that has hit the city over the last few weeks during the public comment period at Monday's Common Council meeting.

"We need leadership to step up," said Albany resident Marlon Anderson. "We need leadership to organize. We need leadership to pull together and show people that this is an issue that we're engaged on."

Hours before Monday night's meeting, police made an arrest in last month's homicide on Livingston Avenue.

Police say 26-year-old Shaquille Moore shot and killed 20-year-old Equan Fallen on June 12. Moore is facing second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon charges.

But not before the city recorded its eighth homicide of the year this weekend.

According to police, 31-year-old Kahlil Barnes was shot and killed inside a car early Saturday morning. Police say it happened near First and Quail Streets.

"There's many layers that we have to peel off to try and get to the underlying substance of why there's so much violence in our community," said Mark Robinson, an Albany resident and former Common Council member. 

During Monday's meeting, the Common Council passed a resolution 11-3, raising the police chief salary by $12,000.

Some council members say it is needed in order to hire the right person, while the search for a permanent police chief continues. But some members of the community say they’d rather see that money spent on programs to help keep kids off the streets. 

"Until we put a bright focus on this darkness that's developed in our city, it's going to continue and it's going to spread," Anderson said.