Thursday marks six months since the slaying of a Jacksonville man outside his aunt's home.
The victim, Jerry Brown, was a music minister at his church and lived to sing.
Brown's mom was leading the effort to catch his killer, but earlier this month, she died of cancer.
Now his family is continuing what she started.
"One would think it would get easier. It doesn't. Sometimes you find yourself crying more," said Chevie Green, Brown’s cousin.
Green’s family is pushing for justice.
"We are constantly keeping information out there, asking questions," Green said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said, as of Monday, 68 people have been victims of murder so far this year compared with 47 at this time last year.
Green said stopping the violence starts with getting involved with the community.
Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:
- Police: Florida man rams into black family with confederate flag van
- Amazon fulfillment center to bring jobs to Jacksonville
- Woman files sexual assault complaint over toy used at hibachi restaurant
- Publix heiress donates $800,000 to fight medical marijuana ballot initiative
- Man stabs girlfriend after she admits to cheating
[ More popular and trending stories ]
"We just need to get back in these teens’ lives and have an impact," Green said.
The mayor’s proposed budget would add more police officers and community service officers. Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said that’s not the full solution.
"It helped a little and the numbers early on showed that but you have to have a police department that has a relationship with the community," Jefferson said.
Jefferson said that's especially true when a lot of the crime is the result of gang activity.
"It is shocking because this time last year we were addressing gang and gang activity, and not being in denial for so many years," Jefferson said.
Jefferson said now the Sheriff's Office is trying to play catch-up to combat the gang activity.