Neighbors are keeping a closer eye on their children after a 40-year-old man was shot Friday evening on the 300 block of Dearborn Street.
"I don't want to go down the street with me and my family and get shot," Travis Mercer said. He lives on Dearborn Street and has two children. "That's the biggest fear right now is me or one of my kids will be shot."
For people living in the Buffalo's Black Rock neighborhood, they were surprised a shooting happened so close by.
"It's quiet here," Abby said. She lives on the 200 block of Dearborn Street. "Nothing really happens."
"Over here is usually the quiet part of the community," Mercer explained. "Nobody bothers anybody. Everybody minds their own business and that's about it. We just do our own thing and be neighbors."
So when Mercer heard gunshots Friday night, he didn't believe it.
"I thought they were fireworks," he said. "I didn't think anything about it."
But when police cars and an ambulance rushed by, he knew something was wrong. His friend walked by the scene of the shooting and told him what had happened. The victim was taken to ECMC and is currently listed in good condition.
"I don't feel comfortable with my kids outside," Mercer said. "With people shooting, it's just crazy."
Abby explained that she's worried about the neighborhood kids that are always playing outside.
"With all the shootings that have been happening lately, it's very unsafe for the kids," she said.
Abby's aunt Michelle lives with her on Dearborn Street. Michelle wants the community to work together to end the violence.
"The community needs to come together," she said. "Instead of harming one another, hurting one another, shooting one another and killing one another."
Michelle doesn't think the problem is going away anytime soon.
"We need to come together and figure out a solution to this problem, because it is getting worse," she explained.
Friday's shooting has Travis Mercer a little nervous about his family's holiday weekend.
"It's going to make us more cautious," he explained. "We'll keep our kids out back more during our 4th of July celebration. We probably won't go out and see fireworks, probably just stay here."
