Alexandria police holds community meeting to discuss recent neighborhood violence

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An Alexandria community is searching for answers following a deadly shooting earlier this week. Pierre Clark was fatally shot on Montgomery Street Wednesday afternoon in the neighborhood where he was raised.

His death is Alexandria's third homicide this year and police held a community meeting Friday night to speak with residents about the violence.

Once the community meeting ended, just blocks away from where the 28-year-old father was shot, friends, family members and other residents gathered to remember Clark at a vigil.

While the audience may have been different for each event, the frustration was all the same and many are seeking a solution to prevent this type of violence from happening again.

Police said they believe there are witnesses in the fatal shooting of Clark, but few people, if any, are coming forward. Clark's aunt, Tina Ellis, believes somebody will eventually provide authorities with information.

"We need to all stick together, stop killing one another," said Ellis.

Concerned residents packed a gym inside the Charles Houston Recreation Center. Police called this community meeting after Clark's death to address residents' frustrations.

One resident asked if the city needed more police and Alexandria's police chief said they did.

But city leaders are confident they will find Clark's killer.

"Outpouring of community shows we have come together in spite of what happened on Wednesday," said Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg. "We will find whoever did this and prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law."

Police are asking anyone with information about Clark's murder to call them at 703-380-5019.