Demand for change, solutions after weekend of violence in NYC

CASTLE HILL (WABC) -- Community leaders are calling for action, after a violent weekend that included at least a dozen shootings in New York City.

The latest shooting in East New York Sunday night started with an argument that ended in gunfire and one person dead.

Police say a man was shot in the head, and two suspects are on the loose. It is an extension of the violence throughout Brooklyn and the Bronx.

"I don't know what's going to happen, the winter was so bad they stayed in, but the spring and summer's here, so the guns come out," says Bronx resident Jerri Lamb.

Sunday night's incident makes for the 12th shooting in a 24-hour period, and some community leaders are coming together with one clear message for the mayor's office.

"I say again to the City of New York, join us, or get out of our way," says community activist Tony Herbert.

Groups such as the One Family, One Community Task Force and some with the Interfaith Ministers Council tell Eyewitness News that they have been trying to meet with the mayor's office to discuss the violence and come up with a plan, but to no avail.

"I had an opportunity to meet the mayor's clergy liaison a couple of weeks ago at a service I was at, and he said if I need to call him for anything, I could place this call, and I haven't got a return call - not yet," says Pastor Dwayne Loadholt of the Interfaith Ministers Council.

Some are questioning if the youth programs the city spends money on are even working, and if not they want to see changes.

"We asked the city to get involved because they have readily resources that our taxes pay for, and that's what we want them to commit - it's nothing about putting anything additional in this process," says Tony Herbert.

Eyewitness News has reached out to the mayor's office about these issues, but have not heard back yet. As for the shooting in East New York, no arrests have been made.