Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin released a statement Monday afternoon following multiple recent shootings that have left several teenagers dead.
Most of the shootings Mayor Woodfin referenced happened over the past six weeks.
The most recent shooting took place Sunday night around 8:00 p.m. near the Ensley neighborhood, where two 16-year-olds were killed.
Mayor Woodfin put out a series of tweets on Twitter addressing the fatal gun violence and referring to the shootings as "tragedies."
Woodfin said it is time for the community to bear the burden of the lives lost in addition to the victims' family, friends, and teachers.
Woodfin concluded his statement by emphasizing that the Birmingham Police Department is working tirelessly to ensure justice for the affected families.
You can read Mayor Woodfin's full statement below:
Gun violence has stolen the lives of five teens in our city over the past six weeks. I asked myself this question this morning: Besides family, friends and educators, who carries the burden of these lost lives? I think it’s time that we as a community bear this burden as well. I know the headlines can be overwhelming and it’s easy to tune out these tragedies. But you know what else is overwhelming? Parents staring at empty chairs at dinner tables. Teachers staring at empty desks. Peers who have now lost their innocence and are stricken with grief. They didn’t ask for this heartbreak. All we can do is uplift those who are hurting and work harder to protect the young people in our lives. Birmingham Police are working tirelessly to ensure justice for these hurting families. If there is anything you know about these ongoing investigations, please, speak up. It’s time to stop being numb to the violence and prioritize the lives of our youth. Until we are the ones who wipe those tears, provide protection and demand justice, the cycle will never break.