Roanoke’s police chief and mayor visited the neighborhood where an elderly woman was brutally murdered earlier this week, checking in with residents and offering support. The area was lined with police officers and volunteers who went door-to-door, assisting in the aftermath of the crime. The common sentiment from residents: “This never happens here.”

As acts of gun violence increase daily nationwide, organizers in the Star City are hoping to bring peace to people who live near recent shooting sites.