For the first time in recent memory, police investigating a city under siege say their tip lines are busy.
On Wednesday, mourners continued to bring flowers to the scene where a young mother was shot to death on Monday. Nicki Alemy was gunned down while her four-year-old son sat in the back seat of the white Cadillac she had been driving in Surrey, B.C.
"It certainly has incensed us as a police agency,'' said RCMP Cpl. Peter Thiessen.
Heart-breaking images of the little boy speaking to police also seem to have incensed the community -- and pushed the public into action.
"There appears to be some level of galvanization in the community,'' Thiessen said.
The community has begun calling police with tips about the public gang violence that has been plaguing the Lower Mainland, and police say two key calls have come from unexpected sources
"They claim to have been previously in major gangs. They want to speak with us and provide some information." said Thiessen.
Other victims of crime say Mondays shooting has deeply affected them.
"I started to cry because a child, no matter what, is innocent,'' said Jeanie Fraser. "That child will never be the same because he lost his mother."
Fraser lost her brother Vic almost 11 years ago when he was murdered after interrupting a break-in. His killer has not been caught.
"I don't want to see more innocent people, families, go through what I, and my own family have,'' she said.
Jeanie will be one of those attending an anti-gang rally Sunday in Surrey organized by two young men.
"When we have this culture of fear permeating throughout society right now, people can't leave their homes out of their fear of getting shot at the store, at the park, that's unacceptable,'' said Paul Hillsdon, the rally organizer.
"People are scared, but also angry. There's a sense that the people who made this scared little boy watch his mother die, crossed some kind of line, and tonight people are talking about breaking the silence, helping the police and fighting to take back their communities," added Hilldon.
"When our community comes together we are strong," said Trevor Loking, another rally organizer. "And we can rise above this? We won't let gangs divide us and this is a place where no gang is welcome, here we will not tolerate violence."
With reports from CTV British Columbia's Michele Brunoro, Jon Woodward, and Reshmi Nair.