A 37-year-old Abilene was shot to death Saturday morning in an apparent argument over trash in an alley.

Police Chief Stan Standridge identified the victim as Aaron Howard. Howard was shot with both a handgun and a shotgun, and died at a local hospital.

Arrested and charged with murder were a father and his son, John Miller, 67, and Micheal Miller, 31, neighbors of the victim.

The shooting occurred about 10:17 a.m. Saturday in the 4300 block of Don Juan Street in west Abilene.

Standridge said four, possibly five, people were involved in the confrontation. John Miller apparently was armed when he went to take out trash Saturday morning, and Michael Miller went back into the house to get a shotgun.

Meanwhile another person went into Howard's house to get a baseball bat.

Witnesses told police they heard as many as five shots.

"Several days ago we believe the deceased and the Millers began arguing over trash in the alleyway," Standridge said. "This then triggered a back and forth between the neighbors, culminating in today's violence."

This is the third consecutive weekend, Abilene police have had major investigations on their hands. On Aug. 18, police investigated two unrelated homicides, the shooting death of Chance Bonni in the 5100 block of Fairmont Street and the shooting death of Delbert Pimpton in the 700 block of Forrest Street. Arrests were made in both of those cases.

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Then on Aug. 25, Robert Henry was shot to death by a man in an apartment in the 2800 block of South 25th Street that he had broken into. The apartment resident was arrested for an unrelated warrant.

More:Third fatal shooting reported in eight days in Abilene

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On Thursday, police arrested a man and charged him in connection with four aggravated sexual assaults Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday evening police began a death investigation in Fairway Oaks.

More:Abilene police investigating 'suspicious death' of Fairway Oaks resident

Overwhelmed but help coming

Standridge said he noticed Saturday morning that dispatch telecommunicators were overwhelmed. Between 7 a.m. and noon, they received 255 calls, he said.

Offering a few personal comments, Standridge said, "I need us to be Abilene strong. Much violence has occurred in our great city, but this is our city. ... We are Abilene strong and this violence does not have to define our city."

Standridge said in the past week he has met with numerous people about crime in the city.

He noted the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Explosives now has a full-time person in Abilene, and the Drug Enforcement Agency is considering a full-time employee.

In addition Department of Public safety highway patrol and criminal investigation personnel will be working with police more inside the city limits.

"The APD will prioritize staffing for its street crimes unit which will focus on repeat offenders and gang members, including outlaw motorcycle gangs," Standridge said.

The police department will have meetings every second week to share information between agencies and to identify specific action plans for the following two weeks, he said.

More:Update: Abilene police arrest sexual assault suspect