TORONTO

A frustrated Mayor Rob Ford has conceded he's at a loss about what more can be done to stop gun violence in the city.

Ford made the comments two days after Jarvis Montaque, 15, was gunned down in Rexdale, becoming the third 15-year-old in the last month to be shot and killed on Toronto Community Housing property.

"My condolences go out to the family first and foremost," Ford said Tuesday at City Hall. "It must be absolutely terrible losing your son or daughter at 15 but it is frustrating; I don't know what more we can do."

Ford stressed the city is putting more money into the arts and recreation programs to try to help youth.

"I (volunteer) first-hand, my brother does it first hand, a lot of people are volunteering their time trying to get these kids out of gangs, you know get them in school. We're trying our best," he said. "If I had an answer for (gun violence), I'd implement it."

While Ford said "everything helps a little bit," he doubted talking about the issue for "five to six hours" at city council would solve anything.

"Is that going to help? I don't think so," he said. "We're trying everything we can and I just don't have a magic answer right now and if I did, like I said, I'd be the first one to use it."

The mayor said he'd welcome ideas from people on how to tackle gun violence.

"It is the gangs. I think we really have to go after these gangs but it is hard to tell who is in the gangs and what they are all about and the police are doing everything they can," he said.

Ford admitted he's "frustrated" by gun violence.

"I'm trying my very, very best and I don't know really what else I can do," he said.

He admitted Sunday's shooting "absolutely" hits close to home -- it happened in Etobicoke and involves a teenager around the same age of the high school kids he coaches.

"I deal with these 15-year-olds, this is what I specialize in, in getting these kids turned around," Ford said. "They're good kids; they just need some direction and they get caught up at the wrong time and that's it -- they lose their life."