Talesha Wynn is worried for the safety of her three children including her four-month-old daughter. The recent string of gun violence in Albany has Wynn and other residents on edge.

“I grew up here and I’m scared for my own kids." Wynn said. "They don’t go outside to play, never did because I’m not burying my children.”

Wynn was one of many residents expressing their concerns at a community meeting Thursday night with Albany police chief Eric Hawkins. It comes a week after a three-year-old boy was shot in the arm by a stray bullet while sleeping inside a South End daycare.

“Our officers are going to be very, very active in looking at some of these issues, looking at what’s causing it," Hawkins said. "Identify those who are menaces in this community and taking the necessary action.”

The meeting was organized by A Block at a Time at the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. The two hour long discussion offered several suggestions from community member on how to stop the gun violence. 

“Make the penalty for getting caught with a gun severe enough to the point where it sends a message to the people they don’t want to be in that situation,” said Derek Johnson, an Albany Common Council member.

“Until we begin to peel back the layers on why violence is caused and address those layers, we will always have the issue of violence,” said Jahmel Robinson, an Albany Common Council member.

Hawkins says the investigation into last week’s shootings is ongoing and progress is being made. He’s confident there will soon be a positive outcome in terms of prosecuting that case.

“We will send a message that anybody either from here or from outside of this community, commits those atrocious acts in this community, there will be repercussions,” Hawkins said.

A Block at a Time is planning to host another meeting next week.