TAMPA, Fla. — Gun violence in the city of Tampa is hitting record levels. 

So far this year, there have been more than 20 homicides and more than 230 shootings. 

An East Tampa Pastor said there has been a heartbreaking trend in the cemetery — young deaths by gun violence. 

Pastor Elvis Piggott presided over the funerals of Kyler Brown and Zavon Gundy, both men in their early twenties who died just weeks apart. 

“This young man (Gundy) was actually the pallbearer at Kyler’s funeral. Then right after, he was shot and killed at Columbus Court," Piggott said. 

No one has come forward with information in the investigation. 

The 33-year-old pastor said he has spent a lot of time at Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery over the past year. 

It’s in the neighborhood where he grew up and where headstone dates are telling a story.

“Our young people are not even making it out of their twenties to celebrate their 30th birthday," Piggott said.

While not every young person here has died from gun violence, Piggott said his calling has become a tragic reality. 

“My church was closed for 18 months. The only time I had service was a funeral from homicide for our young men. Not one Covid death I preached in 2020," he said.

Over the past year, he's presided at 17 funerals for young people in Hillsborough County, Alabama, and the state of Florida.

“I don’t think it’s an easy answer. I know they’ve been talking about laws with gun violence and they’ve been talking about putting money into programs, but we’ve got to go back to the basics in helping our community," Piggott said.

He believes one way is for people to speak up when they know something.

“We’ve got to do something different than to put ourselves in positions to lose," he said.

While there is no clear answer, Piggott says he’ll be here doing his part to help.

“I was there and I know the graveyard doesn’t have to be your ending," said Piggott.