CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Champaign police and other officials spoke emotionally on recent gun violence issues in the city. 

The Friday press conference comes after three people were hit by gunfire Friday alone in Champaign. Police said the city has seen an 113 percent increase in confirmed shots fired cases in the four months of 2021 compared to the same time period in 2020. 

Champaign Police Chief Anthony Cobb said gun violence in Champaign and in the United States has surged at "alarming rates." He called what has happened a "public pandemic" and said there will need to be a multi-faceted approach to address the problem. 

"It has to be a priority and we have to deal with it, but it's going to take Springfield, D.C., Champaign and several other communities who are facing this to work together (and) work with their citizens to address it. 

"The individuals who are shooting, they live here," Cobb added. "We know who they are. The community knows who they are. Are we going to allow them to continue to victimize our entire community? I hope the resounding answer from my community is no." 

Cobb said Champaign police are committed to showing up each day and doing what they can to resolve the violence issue, but added "we cannot arrest our way out of these situations." 

"Why are these individuals picking up guns? Why are they shooting?" Cobb asked. "We have to address that. There are some needs (and) there is some trauma."

According to Cobb, Champaign police officers have recently found themselves in close proximity to shootings or gunfire. He said he is concerned police could at some point be faced with a deadly use of force decision. 

He is asking the public to help law enforcement in solving these shootings. 

"Please share what you know about these crimes with our department, a trusted community leader or with Crime Stoppers," Cobb said. "This is unquestionably a challenging time, but it must be more than a call to action." 

Following Cobb, emotional words came from Rev. Willie Comer Jr. of Champaign. He pleaded with young people to stop with gun violence.

"If you've got beef, obviously picking up a gun is not the way to handle it. It's not the way to go," Comer said. "We have the Youth of Christ House, we have other places that you can come to to talk to us. We're available (and) we're here to have this conversation, but let's squash this beef, whatever that is. 

"You've got to put the guns down. It doesn't solve the problem. We see it. The only thing we keep finding is innocent people being killed. Teenagers being killed. Babies being shot. For what, because you have a beef?" 

Police said a victim in a shooting in the area of 4th Street and Springfield Avenue was a female who was eight months pregnant. The shooting stemmed from an altercation between a man and woman. 

She is stable as of Friday evening. 

Another Friday shooting involved two men self-reporting being shot and going to a hospital for treatment. Victims included a 28-year-old man and 19-year-old man. Both men had non-life-threatening wounds.Â