COLUMBUS (WCMH) – After the City of Columbus’ announcement about the rising crime and homicide rate in the city, a local community leader and a mother whose son’s killer hasn’t been found spoke out about the changes they want to see.

LaMona Marshall, the mother of 25-year-old Roberto Marshall Jr., is still waiting for the person responsible for murdering her son nearly two months after he was killed.

“I just have no words. When you just can’t walk home from work and you can’t even make it to your door, you’re just shot in cold blood,” Marshall said.

Marshall is one of dozens of mothers in the city without answers. City officials said only 50% of homicides in Columbus have been solved this year.

“It really makes me lose faith in all types of systems,” Marshall said.

Pastor Frederick LaMarr of Family Missionary Baptist Church has his theories about why these shootings keep happening.

“The reason why people do these thing is because they’re at their wits’ end. They’re frustrated; they don’t know what to do. I think we have to get to the place where we have a [closer] relationship [with police],” LaMarr said.

LaMarr says those relationships start with police and other leaders giving their time to underserved communities.

“If you want to solve these homicides and whatnot, you have got to build a relationship with these children,” LaMarr said.