The University of Louisiana at Lafayette held a gun violence symposium after what is being called a “deadly summer” in Lafayette.

The event’s organizers say they wanted to get the discussion started as soon as possible.

“In July here in Lafayette we had the murders at the Grand Theater. There were multiple murders on the north side of Lafayette and we realize that the first thing we need to do is to address this ongoing dilemma,” Michael Martin, the Director of The Center for Louisiana Studies, told KLFY.

He said the symposium was originally not set to happen until later this month but was pushed up after a deadly summer in Lafayette.

“To confront this issue of gun violence in Louisiana and to talk about it, to discuss it and hopefully to start formulating some solutions to the problem,” Martin said.

Topics like gun violence involving gender, race, and mental health were discussed.

Holly Howart, Executive Director of the Lafayette Parish Criminal Justice Coordination Committee, told KLFY she is definitely taking notes and is focused on finding some key ways to reform this issue.

“We would like to come up with solutions that are reasonable, logical, and cost-effective, that reduce gun violence in our parish and in our state,” Howart said.

Moms Demand Action, a grassroots organization that advocates for common sense gun reform, also attended the event.