DONALDSONVILLE - Two recent murders and a rash of shootings in an Ascension Parish community have the sheriff and residents concerned.

"We've had murders, but we've never had two in one week like that," Kendrick Miller said.

Miller lives in the Port Barrow neighborhood where the murders took place.

"Community's too small for all that," Miller said. "It's never been like this before."

One man was killed on West Second Street on May 30. A second man was shot to death four days later, just blocks away on West 8th street.

At least four people have been murdered this year in Donaldsonville.

"We've had two homicides in Donaldsonville since Memorial Day, so that is a concern," Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre said.

The sheriff is stepping up law enforcement efforts with a special task force in the community.

"I met with the mayor and all of the city council and we've come up with a plan to really increase our presence and fight and hold this back in our west bank community," Webre said

But some are skeptical about how well the task force will work.

"I don't think it's going to work. It's just tax dollars going to waste." Miller said.

In addition to the task force, the sheriff wants to install gunshot detectors in Donaldsonville.