Officials and local clergy members gathered Thursday to honor Bridgeport's 2018 murder victims.

The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport organized the vigil, which honored 11 victims. About 50 people gathered at the Bridgeport Police Department headquarters for the vigil.

Police Chief AJ Perez promised justice for the families who have not yet received it, and vowed that every life lost will be remembered and honored as part of a greater commitment to curbing violent crime.

State Sen. Marilyn Moore called for policing that seeks to build better bonds with the community.

The brother of 12-year-old Clinton Howell, who was shot to death a few feet from the front door of his home one week before Christmas, says the vigil was a positive step forward but losing his brother has been a painful ordeal.

Perez says that murders were down 50 percent in Bridgeport in 2018 in comparison to the previous year.