COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Community leaders are calling the violence on Canonby Place a life or death situation.

Columbus Police said there have been at least 15 shootings there this year, with three of those so far this month. The history of violence in Canonby Place goes back a decade.

Zerqa Abid, the executive director of MY Project USA, said the community needs to get on the ground and get to the root of the problem.

Last year, Columbus’ city attorney filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Southpark apartments to get these problems fixed, but Abid said solving this issue is going to take more than physical improvements.

“Every morning when I wake up, I check my phone and I’m afraid that I’m going to see the same kind of news,” Abid said.

Abid works with children who live in the Southpark neighborhood. She also works with youth at the Wedgewood Village Apartments, which has similar violence issues.

“They need some kind of support on the financial side, they are very poor,” Abid said. “They are living in inhumane situations.”

The most recent shooting on Canonby Place —  the street that runs through Southpark Apartments —  happened Sunday night. Police said a 16-year-old boy shot and killed a 21-year-old woman, then turned the gun around attempting to harm himself.

On June 3, police said three women were shot while holding a vigil.

On June 7, a 13-year-old was shot in a drive-by shooting.

“I have young people who have serious mental health issues, there’s trauma involved,” Abid said. “Whenever they hear a siren of ambulance or fire runs, they react to it.”

Abid said teens having access to guns is a serious issue in these places. Two weeks ago, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein was asked if any progress is being made to curb the violence.

“We’ve already sued them,” he said. “We have a game plan in place that involves adding more security, adding more lighting and giving CPD access to the close circuit television, putting in license plate readers.”

Klein said that, as of now, the complex owners have been cooperative. However, he said the moment that stops, he will be forced to file a contempt order with the court.

Abid said this is all helpful, but they will have to dig deeper. She said since MY Project USA built up a presence at Wedgewood, things have gotten better there. She would like to use a similar formula at Southpark.

“We are not addressing the root causes of these problems, and those root causes are the issues I’m talking about: food, stipends, good programming recreation,” Abid said. “If we are not seriously doing it now, I am still worried that the coming weeks are going to be more violent.”

She said MY Project USA does have a meal program in place for the youth involved with the Hilltop Tigers soccer club, but it comes at a cost. She is also running the MY Community Cafe at their Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center, offering hot meals and a safe environment for the community.

“What I am imploring to the city attorney’s office, mayor’s office, whoever is involved, whoever has any kind of authority in this matter, I’m imploring that they make MY Project USA an equal partner in this movement,” Abid said.

Abid said she wants to be able to take on a bigger role with the Southpark Apartments, but she needs access from city leaders and the funding to keep up. Klein said he has a meeting set up with the owners of the complex at the end of the month.