BRIDGEPORT -- Mayor Joseph Ganim told a room full of reporters Thursday afternoon that he heard gun shots while he was paying respects to a local family.
"I did go to a residence. There was a mother there that I was going to pay condolences to. She lost her son as a result of gun violence in the city," says Mayor Ganim.
Bridgeport police chief AJ Perez says the incident is still under investigation.
This was just the latest in a string of gun related incident in the Park City in the past week.
A week ago, 37 year old Chaz Rogers was found shot on Stratford Avenue. Wednesday night police were called to a murder suicide inside the Trumbull Gardens Apartment Complex. Investigators say 32-year-old Keith Knox shot his wife 33-year-old Jennifer Knox to death before turning the gun on himself.
Mayor Ganim announced the hiring of 24 new police officers that will be introduced into the community--an attempt to quell the violence.
"Increase visibility, not just in what would be considered high crime areas but throughout the city," says Mayor Ganim.
He also says the city will reintroduce 14 summer youth programs aimed at getting the city's youngest members off the streets.
But Mayor Ganim says the city's efforts to stop violence don't come with a blank check book. City leaders say they would like to see more support from the Governor's office.
"We really need to march to the capitol and get our Governor to bring back some more money into this city to fulfill the needs that we have rather than cut in or taken from out budget," says Bridgeport City Councilwoman Eneida Martinez