Durham Police have announced that eight arrests have been made as part of an initiative focused on a string of violent gun crimes in late 2015 and early 2016.

Authorities say Durham saw a 47 percent decrease in non-fatal and fatal shootings from January 7 through January 31, 2016, when compared with the period from December 13, 2015, through January 6. Durham saw homicides nearly double in 2015.

Durham Mayor Bill Bell joined Interim Police Chief Larry Smith and Sheriff Mike Andrews on January 7 to call for an end to the gun violence.

“It’s not going to be tolerated. We don’t tolerate it. We’re going to put a stop to it,” Bell said at the press conference.

Law enforcement identified 19 individuals who were believed to be connected with the stretch of violent crime. Officials announced the arrests of eight of those 19 individuals, on Tuesday.

“We are still working closely with the community to reduce violent crime and we appreciate the assistance we have received,” said Smith.

Community members have been calling for more consistency from law enforcement.

Police say officers from several units have been focused on the identified people of interest and those who have been arrested face charges ranging from failure to appear in court up to murder.

Those arrested are 33-year-old Terence Deyon Foster, 27-year-old Andre Dewayne Johnson, 25-year-old Deshawn Bailey, 23-year-old Messiah Gattis, 21-year-old Lamonte Colbert, 22-year-old Michael Gill, 16-year-old Najay Peace and 20-year-old Keon Deloatch.

Foster was arrested January 5 and is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, failure to appear on earlier charges and a parole violation. He was placed in the Durham County Jail with no bond and was later transferred to Central Prison in Raleigh.

Johnson was arrested on January 6 and charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to manufacture, sell or deliver, two counts of possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting, delaying and obstructing a government official. Johnson was arrested while he was out of jail on bond for prior charges of trafficking in Schedule 1 controlled substances and other charges. Johnson was released from prison after posting a $100,000 bond.

Bailey was arrested on January 6 for failure to appear on a traffic charge. He posted a $1,500 bond.

Gattis was arrested on January 7 after a standoff at an apartment on Junction Road. Gattis is charged with injury to property, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, carrying a concealed weapon, going armed to the terror of the public, discharging a firearm from an enclosure, 10 counts of discharging a firearm within the city limits and resisting, delaying and obstructing an officer. Gattis was released pending indictments.

Colbert was arrested on January 8 on outstanding common-law robbery, communicating threats and larceny charges. Colbert remains in jail under a $6,500 bond.

Gill was arrested on January 8 on an outstanding probation/parole violation. He was placed in the Durham County Jail under no bond and later transferred to the Polk Correctional Facility.

Peace was arrested on January 14. He is facing charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting, delaying and obstructing a government official. He was released from prison after posting a $7,500 bond and was arrested January 15 and charged with felony larceny of a vehicle. Peace then posted $15,000 bond and is currently out of jail.

Deloatch was arrested on January 20 and charged with murder in connection with a January 4 shooting death. Deloatch was placed in the Durham County Jail with no bond.