Just one day after a passionate plea by a group of Somali mothers, calling for an end to the violence that's claimed so many young lives, another youth has been killed.

A 16-year-old, who friends and family identified as Hanad Abdullahi, was found shot to death in the stairwell of a Toronto Community Housing (TCH) property in North York — leaving a community devastated and demanding answers.

Sansam Hayow was one of those who attended a meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board Wednesday night. A group of Somali women told the board that gun violence in the city is a "crisis," saying greater trust and transparency is needed to prevent further deaths.

She had no idea then that a boy she was so close to would be next.

"I know this child, I know his mother," Hayow told CBC News. He grew up in front of me and now he's died. So where are we living? We run from war and we come to another war. This is not fair."

Police were called to the scene shortly after 1 a.m. for reports of shots fired at the high-rise apartment building at 30 Fallstaff Ave. near Jane Street and Highway 401.

Abdullahi had been playing video games at the building next door Wednesday night, Boahen said. Residents in the area said they heard gunfire at approximately 12:40 a.m.

'I lost my little brother today'

Abdullahi's mother, who CBC News is not identifying, was one of them.

She said she called her son's cell phone that night, but there was no answer. Hours later, she watched as his body was taken away.

The fatal shooting took place inside a high-rise Toronto Community Housing building. (Jeremy Cohn/CBC) Abdullahi was pronounced dead at the scene. A police officer told CBC Toronto a number of bullet casings were scattered in the area.

Investigators say three male suspects were seen fleeing the area. They are believed to be driving a dark-coloured Honda vehicle.

"I lost my little brother today," Abdullahi's friend Jennifer Boahen told CBC News. "I grew up with him. The sweetest f**king kid," she yelled through tears.

Residents in the area decried what they called a lack of security at TCH buildings, pointing to other recent instances of violence. Just last month, a man was seriously injured when he was shot near a playground on Canada Day.

Police were on the scene at the Toronto Community Housing building throughout the day. (Angelina King/CBC) There have been no regular patrols in the community," said York South-Weston MPP Faisal Hassan. "The community has said many times that there are people who don't live in the community that come here, shots have happened, that they have been confined to their homes and apartments."

Residents decry lack of security

"We don't even have f**king security cameras in the hallways or in the staircase, so we don't know how he died," Boahen said. "What's the point of putting security in the building?"

In a statement, TCH said it will host a safety meeting for residents of the Jane-Falstaff community, in partnership with the city's crisis response team, police, the local councillor and community service agencies.

Faisal Hassan, MPP for the area, says all levels of government need to do more to support a community that he says is constantly concerned about safety. (Paul Smith/CBC) The meeting "will be an opportunity for tenants to share their concerns about safety and provide input into a community safety plan," said spokesperson Bruce Malloch.

"We are saddened by this senseless act of gun violence and tragic loss of life. Our thoughts are with the victim's family and loved ones and the entire Jane-Falstaff community," the statement said, adding TCH has shared surveillance video with police.

Meanwhile, many in the community are mourning the boy they say was always happy, ready to help with groceries and hold open doors, who was supposed to have his whole life ahead of him.

"To have somebody come into our building and kill a youth in our building, there's got to be something wrong," said Leroy Harrison.

"Something's got to give."