As nearly 400 people met at an East End church last week to discuss solutions to stem the tide of violence in the city, Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham somberly rose to address the audience.

“Three more juveniles were shot during this session,” he said, a look of anger and disgust etching his face.

Police later reported the three teens — two 15-year-olds and one, 16-year-old — were the victims of an apparent drive-by shooting on South Side. They were taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life threatening, according to police.

“When is it enough?” Chief Durham asked people attending the State of the Community Action Summit at Mount Olivet Baptist Church.

His rhetorical question drew groans, sighs and head shaking.

Community activist James E. “J.J.” Minor III organized the summit with the backing of numerous community groups. Local radio personality “Miss Community” Clovia Lawrence moderated the event with Mr. Minor.

The event drew several elected officials, including City Council President Michelle R. Mosby, 9th District; City Council members Cynthia I. Newbille, 7th District, Ellen F. Robertson, 6th District, and Reva M. Trammell, 8th District; and School Board Chairman Jeffrey M. Bourne, 3rd District, and School Board members Mamie L. Taylor, 5th District, Tichi L. Pinkney Eppes, 9th District, and Kimberly B. “Kim” Gray, 2nd District.

Community members ranging from toddlers to teens to senior citizens also attended. Among them were 13 youths from the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club in Church Hill.

“A huge population of our kids grew up in this area and many of them are exposed to violence and some have lost family members and friends to it,” said Tyree Walker, teen director at the club. “We wanted to show our support for this cause.”

JaShawn Oliver, a member of the Boys & Girls Club and a senior at Armstrong High School, said, “My mother’s father was shot and killed in Church Hill. I never got to know him. It was hard on me.”

He said he hopes young people learn that “you don’t need to solve everything with violence.”

In opening the summit, Bishop Darryl F. Husband Sr. of Mount Olivet asked God to supply “us with ideas” to “stop the madness of sending young people and others to their graves way too early.”

The summit kicked off with a panel discussion with representatives of many of the organizing groups, including Dr. Charles Shannon of Greater Richmond Local Organizing Committee, Minister Tracy Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque #24, Marilyn Olds, president of the Richmond Tenant Organization; Kim Morgan, secretary of Mothers Against Violence; Dominique Crutchfield, a senior at Armstrong High School; Charles Willis, executive director of United Communities Against Crime; Maurice Tyler, founder of Coaches Against Violence Everywhere; and Joe’i Chancellor of Have a Heart 4 the Homeless.

Dr. Shannon, who led local and state efforts to mobilize people to attend the 20th anniversary commemoration of the Million Man March last October and is pastor at Mount Level Baptist Church in Amelia County, urged people to get involved to stop the violence.

“If you see a brother or a sister with a beef, let them know they don’t need guns, but love” to solve the conflict, he said.

Dr. Shannon said the money used to lock up so many African-Americans and others for minor offenses should be redirected to “beef up the school system” to provide a more equitable education for all.

“We know where the guns are and who has them,” said Ms. Olds, who urged community members to help police get weapons off the streets.'

Chief Durham urged community members to use the department’s new Gun250 initiative designed to remove illegal guns from city streets. It allows individuals who text tips that lead police to recover an illegally possessed gun to earn up to a $250 reward.

Mr. Tyler praised the bevy of groups that have programs to assist ex-offenders, but he said too many ex-offenders don’t take advantage of the programs and soon end up back behind bars.

On the flip side, he said, a friend of his who had been locked up for 23 years now runs a painting business that employs 25 people.

Dominique, the Armstrong High student, vowed to continue to be a student leader and community advocate despite the heartbreak he feels since his father was killed in October, then his stepfather a month later.

He urged community members to respect and obey law enforcement. “Police aren’t the bad guys,” he said. “We have to think where did that line of thinking come from? It has to come from home.”

Mr. Willis told audience members to always walk away from conflict, unless there was no way to avoid it.

He also said, “We’ve got to put up or shut up,” in reporting criminal behavior in the community to law enforcement.

Mr. Minor challenged the 30 or so faith leaders at the summit to form a coalition to recruit congregation members to serve as youth mentors.

He also urged community members to go to the polls to vote out elected officials who don’t advocate for their community’s best interests.

Community members who spoke asked schools and community centers to provide more sports and other activities for children and urged parents to get more involved in their children’s lives and set better examples.

Mr. Minor promised to hold another forum soon to continue anti-violence efforts.

“This is only the beginning,” he said.