Heading into July, the City of Buffalo is looking back on a violent June. More than 30 shootings have killed at least seven people.


What You Need To Know


  • Non-fatal shootings are up by 55% in Buffalo 
  • City has had more than 30 shootings in the month of June 
  • At least seven people have died

"Because of that unsafe party, a young woman in our community lost her life needlessly," Mayor Byron Brown (D) said.

Mayor Brown is referring to a block party over the weekend where a 21-year-old woman was shot on Buffalo's East Side. This was all part of another violent weekend in the city. 

"Violent crime is down by 5% but unfortunately nonfatal shootings are up by 55% in the city of Buffalo. So I am very concerned about it,” said Brown.

The community is echoing those concerns.

Community groups like the Buffalo Peacemakers and Stop the Violence Coalition gathered at MLK Park Monday afternoon to make their voices heard about the recent violence. 

"We got to get this taken care of quickly before it starts spreading like a virus," said Murray Holman, the executive director of Stop the Violence Coalition.

They believe frustration and anger after months of being in quarantine are partly to blame for the uptick in shootings.

"We're asking on all community people, even at parties on the street to call 911 and let them know it's a party on the street or call some of us up, your pastors, so they can go there and show how we can calm that down," Holman said.

The community leaders are trying to get guns off the streets and are also urging fathers to step up in their children's lives.

At a Buffalo Police Oversight Committee meeting last week, Commissioner Byron Lockwood said the majority of victims fatally shot this month were Black. Even though authorities didn't reveal the ethnicities of those who pulled the trigger, there's a call for a boulevard in the city to be designated 'No Black on Black Crime Blvd.'

"This is a day to end Black on Black crime in the city of Buffalo, it needs to stop, we need to stop killing each other, we need to stop shooting each other," said Tim Newkirk, the pastor of GYC Ministries.

They urge people not to channel their anger at others but take it to the voting booth. 

"Use your power to vote; it's clear that your power to vote is crucial," Holman said.