“People out here are saying, ‘Chief, you’ve got to stop these murders,’” said Durham, gesturing toward the scene of the triple killing. “Well, I say, ‘What will you do to stop them?’”

Nearby, a woman paced the sidewalk, waiting to hear whether one of the bodies in unit 1204-A belonged to a friend.

“It’s weighing heavy, so heavy on my heart,” said the woman, who at first gave her name, then withdrew it out of fear she may be targeted for speaking out. She said Durham’s plea for more help was unrealistic.

“The police need to be protecting us — it’s not anything we can do to keep people from killing each other, and if we talk, we’re at risk,” she said. “But I do know this — I’ve lived here seven years, and I’m tired.”

The violence on Sunday erupted one week to the day after three people died in separate shootings across the city. A fourth victim was also found shot to death last Monday.

As word of the deaths ripped through Gilpin Court on Sunday, Ernest Morton relived the worst day of his life, again.

“All this violence just, it makes me think about my son every time,” he said, holding a hand to his heart. “Nearly two years gone now and we still don’t have answers.”