ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Five people continue to recover following a mass shooting in Rochester over the weekend which left two others dead.  Those who work on solving the gun violence epidemic say the shooting is another reminder of the work that still needs to be done.

“We got to be honest about what the American identity is and what the American Way is,” said Justin Morris, CEO and founder of Untrapped Ministries. “This is a country that's built on guns is built on gun rights and it's built on illegal guns. So when you talk about young people, and the need to survive, they're going to carry guns.”

Maplewood Park has returned to its usual calm. It's a place where children play and where families picnic. Sunday evening, the park was the scene of a mass shooting.  Seven people were shot and two women were killed.

“If you look at a lot of those videos that occurred from that day, you see a ton of young people draw their weapons, getting ready for what they perceive as a war like situation,” said Morris. 

Morris is trying to be part of the solution. His Untrapped Ministries works with young people, many who are known to carry guns. Many who’ve served time for violent crime. They learn conflict resolution and get help with things like getting jobs.

“What immediately with kicks into my mind is, how do we create comprehensive systems to get these perpetrators off the street and these assailants off the street like this.”

It’s easier said than done. Morris points to a 2020 shootout on Pennsylvania Avenue in Rochester in which 16 people were shot. Two of the victims died. No one has been arrested.  

Morris believes more resources need to go toward ways to get people with information about violent crimes to talk, and to groups like his who he says can make a difference, and already are. 

“I have a reputation that, if I'm empowered to be in certain places during certain events or community gatherings, that young people are less likely to pull out guns and shoot,” he said.  

Gun violence in America has been declared a public health crisis.  

“Rochester has a gun epidemic,” said Morris. “Rochester has a gun pandemic, and we need to be real about how many guns are on the streets and how easily accessible these guns are.”

Despite the progress Morris says his and other groups have made, Sunday’s mass shooting is yet another wake-up call. 

“When things like this happen, it’s a reminder of, there's still work to do,” he said.