MILWAUKEE (WSAU-Wheeler News) Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told several church congregations he needs their help to curb gun violence, and make the city safer. Barrett held his 11th annual “Ceasefire Sabbath” yesterday. It came during a violent weekend in which eleven people were injured in seven shooting incidents in Milwaukee within a 12-hour period.

One incident occurred just a dozen blocks from where Barrett issued his plea at the New Covenant Church on the north side. Five injuries occurred there. WITI TV said the mass shooting occurred during a vigil for a 28-year-old man shot to death on Friday night — and one of those injured was the mother of the man who was murdered. Witness John Jackson told the T-V station, “After we met up, people just started shooting at us.” Police said some of the other shootings were the result of personal disputes or robbery attempts. No arrests were announced in any of the incidents.

Milwaukee has had 56 homicides so far this year, way up from 20 at the same time a year ago. Nobody was killed in the shootings on Saturday and early Sunday — but at least one victim was seriously wounded.

At the churches, Barrett spoke about increased police deployments and jobs programs. But he said government cannot do everything, and the city will have to help itself since no help is coming from the state-and-federal governments.