The Tampa Police Department announced a new initiative to curb crime after the number of murders nearly doubled from this time last year.
The department will begin to put more officers on the street in East and West Tampa, in neighborhoods that need it the most.
Tampa saw 12 murders in the first half of 2014. In that same time this year, there are 21 murders.
The latest is 58-year-old Sharon Watkins. The grandmother was shot to death in her sleep, caught in the crossfire of a neighborhood feud.
Watkin's daughter, Shawanda Darns, says the community needs to step up, too.
"I'm begging y'all, please, stop killing each other," she said. "It's not worth it."
Fifteen of the murders are black-on-black crime, the department noted.
"Every weekend, every weekend," Capt. Ronald McMullen. "It’s a broken record, and the people look the same."
McMullen says officers will have zero tolerance and will be extremely proactive. The new initiative will be paid for by federal grants.
LEGEND: Red circles indicate homicides. Blue squares indicate non-fatal shootings.
Even with the new plan, community members live in fear. Four of this year's murders are unsolved. Police suspect no one is coming forward out of fear of retaliation.
McMullen encourages people who are afraid to call Crime Stoppers, where tips remain anonymous.
Darns hopes someone helps to solve her mother's murder before tragedy hits someone else.
"I have children," she said. "I don't want anything to happen to anyone else in my family. I don't want anything else to happen to your families. From my heart, nobody is safe."
Gun buyback nets 521 firearms
As part of the effort to reduce gun violence, Tampa held a gun buyback Saturday.
Police collected 521 firearms. People turned the guns in, no questions asked, in exchange for $50.
The guns turned in included:
- 213 revolvers
- 125 pistols
- 104 rifles
- 79 shotguns