KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Three teenagers were killed because of gun violence within a matter of weeks in Knoxville and it has the community as well as city leaders demanding change.
It echoes back to what has happened in Knoxville repeatedly for a long time.
In May around 25 years ago, 5-year-old Brittany Daniels was shot and killed in her Lonsdale neighborhood.
Just like today, the community rallied for change back then.
The senseless killing of Daniels shook Knoxville on May 18, 1996. It came after years of violent crime in the streets that consisted of daily shootouts.
City leaders and officials met day and night, talking through solutions.
"If I said we had dozens of meetings that would be an understatement," said former Knoxville police chief Phil Keith who in the center of it all. "People were outraged that a 5-year-old was murdered."
He said the community conversation was strong. Faith leaders met with alleged criminals to talk about solutions to the daily violence.
Keith said they used all their resources to find answers as to who killed Daniels, and to discover their motive.
"There was a drug dealer within an arm's reach of Brittany and her mother when she was shot and killed," said Keith.
The unrest echoes what we're seeing today after three teens were senselessly shot and killed. The deaths have neighborhoods, families and leaders asking what needs to be done.
Keith said their strong-willed efforts after Daniels was killed led to a substantial decline in crime. However, he also said that he knew it wouldn't be the end.
"We never crossed the finish line, that's the side of law enforcement you have to accept," said Keith. "There is no end to the terror that runs through these neighborhoods. It's just another generation you have to prepare for. I think crime control planning involves the community and components of our public safety networks, schools, district attorneys, judges."
Police arrested a handful of people in connection with Daniels' death. At the forefront was 16-year-old Melvin Davis.