Hours after a crowd gathered on Alabama Avenue and in Old Live Oak Cemetery Saturday to watch detectives with the Selma Police Department investigate a homicide, Mayor Darrio Melton stood on the steps of City Hall to address the problem of violent crime in the city.

Melton said the press conference was not to address Saturday’s murder but violence as a whole in Selma.

“Nothing justifies violence. Nothing,” Melton said, backed by pastors, law enforcement officers and fellow city leaders.

There were 16 homicides investigated by the Selma Police Department in 2016, and Saturday’s was the first of 2017.

Authorities confirmed Nick Bell, a 23-year-old Selma man, was found dead in a car on Alabama Avenue Saturday.

“It’s totally unacceptable for a mother to have to bury her child. It’s totally unacceptable for senior citizens to have to worry about gunshots coming into their house or ringing throughout their neighborhoods at night time,” he said.

Lt. Tory Neely with the Selma Police Department said it appeared Bell had multiple gunshot wounds to the body.

Several people gathered at the crime scene Saturday recalled hearing multiple gunshots in the area early that morning. The department has not released when Bell was killed.

“Upon entering this office, we knew we had a battle on our hand. Selma was considered the most violent city in this state. But we say that is not who we are as a city,” the mayor said.

“We’re not going to be known as a violent city. We are the city that gave the world hope. We are the city that allowed people to dream, and that is what we will be working on as we move forward for this administration, to make sure that we are instilling that hope in our young people that has been lost.”

Melton urged people to think twice before picking up a gun to resolve a problem.

“It’s totally unacceptable for our young people when they are angry or upset to pick up a gun,” Melton said.

“We’re calling on our young people, when you get to that rage in your life, pick up a phone. Call somebody. Let’s not pick up a gun.”

Melton also urged for citizens to take a stand and help make a difference in Selma.

“We can’t ask you to say something if we’re not saying something. Well, today we are saying something. This is the last day that we tolerate this in our community,” Melton said.

“We’re asking every citizen to get actively involved in what you can do to help combat the crime in our community. From public safety to the lack of education to the lack of opportunity, we all play a role in these efforts.”

No arrest has been made in Saturday’s homicide as of Monday afternoon.