Bridgeport police say the discovery of an unresponsive man on the city's South End is being investigated as a homicide.

They say 58-year-old James McClain, of Waterbury, was found on a sidewalk in front of 34 Norman St. shortly before midnight.

Police say they received a 911 call at 11:48 p.m. They have not yet detailed how the man died.

Bridgeport City Councilman Jorge Cruz says violence is out of control in Bridgeport and needs to be addressed.

"It's in the hands of people who don't know how to control their anger and their emotions," he says. "They resort to gun violence, not realizing that they're really affecting other families as well as affecting their lives."

Police say they are talking with neighbors and collecting surveillance video as they investigate the killing.

State Sen. Dennis Bradley, whose office is down the street from the scene, says the death will leave a lasting mark on countless lives.

"One thing that we know for sure is that what we don't want to see is a spike in murders again this summer," he says. "It's so horrible to think of the family, of the community connections, of the legacy that this person had, gone now from us forever."

In the meantime, Cruz says a public appeal is in order.

"It just sent chills through my spine because here we go again," he said. "This senseless gun violence is about to ramp up because the weather is going to be getting warmer and I am just asking my brothers and sisters out here to please put those guns down. You don't have to handle your business with violence."

Police are asking with information about the incident to call police anonymously at (203) 576-TIPS.