When his mother moved to California and left him in foster care, Lamont Levels formed a new family by starting a Dallas gang.

"I had no parents. I had no guidance," Levels said. "I was looking for love in all the wrong places and in all the wrong people."

Street life caught up to Levels in 2001, when a shooting left him permanently blind. Now he dedicates his life to preventing young people from turning to violence. He was one of several speakers Saturday at a South Dallas forum where residents sought a solution to the city's violence.

The event "Enough is Enough — Stop the Violence" focused on young people, but residents of all ages attended wearing white T-shirts with "Enough is Enough" in bold black lettering. The event included remarks from motivational speakers and victims of violent crime.

In the afternoon, Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall and Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot were part of a panel discussion.

The program comes as a particularly deadly summer draws to a close in Dallas. There were nearly 100 homicides in the city from May to September, compared with 54 murders during the same period in 2018. The violence claimed the lives of several teenagers and children and sparked pleas for peace that included a march through Deep Ellum last week.

1 / 4Trooper Germaine Gaspard speaks during the "Stop The Violence Community Forum" at the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, September 14, 2019. (Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor) 2 / 4Dedrick Abrams (right) talks about being a victim of gun violence at the "Stop The Violence Community Forum" at the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, September 14, 2019. Abrams was shot multiple times, left for dead, and found by two state troopers. (Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor) 3 / 4Eunice Rodgers talks to Rickey L. Carter about the South Dallas Community Court during the "Stop The Violence Community Forum" at the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, September 14, 2019.(Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor) 4 / 4Lamont McFarland gets handed as he enters the "Stop The Violence Community Forum" at the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, September 14, 2019. (Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor)

Saturday's event allowed residents to speak directly to city leaders about finding a solution to crime.

From her seat on the panel, Hall called on residents to do their part by alerting law enforcement about issues in their neighborhood. She said police work is reactive after a crime has happened. But with help from the community, she said, officers can be proactive.

"As brilliant as we are, we do not have all the answers," Hall said to the crowd. "We still need you at the table."

Hall also noted the responsibility the Dallas Police Department has in reaching out to residents. As police chief, she said, she has emphasized community outreach such as Saturday's event. The goal is to create positive interactions between police and residents so that tensions aren't as high when officers encounter residents on the streets.

"If you have a good relationship in the community, that interaction becomes much more calm than it would be under normal circumstances," she said.

During Saturday's discussion, a consensus formed that residents need to do their part in stopping crime. Levels called on those in attendance to hold themselves accountable and defended the presence of state troopers, who were sent to help police fight the summer's crime.

"We've got to change our mind frame," Levels said. "The way to keep the troopers and police out of our communities, we've got to police ourselves."

For many in attendance, preventing violence begins with talking to kids at home. Dean Wean, a motivational speaker from Oklahoma, called on parents to stay active in their children's lives, and challenged youths in the audience to commit to nonviolence.

Wean told everyone in the crowd they can find peace even in an unfavorable environment.

"Not all of us were dealt the right cards," Wean said. "But that doesn't mean you can't reshuffle your deck for a better outcome."