Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin choked up, near tears, on Tuesday as he struggled to discuss the killings of six people on Friday that included a city employee and his own cousin.

“We want to demand justice for these six victims and unborn child,” Woodfin said. “We want to demand justice for their families, because they deserve it.”

The victims were all friends and family of city employees, he said.

“Our community has been reeling from senseless acts of violence,” Woodfin said in his report Tuesday morning to the Birmingham City Council.

At one point, Woodfin took a long, emotional pause.

“We have our hearts with you and your family,” said Council member Crystal Smitherman said as he struggled to continue.

“For four days I haven’t shed a tear,” Woodfin said.

“I’ve been worried about everybody else. For four days I haven’t had the best sleep, and when I have, I’ve had a few nightmares, because I don’t think women and unborn children should be killed. I don’t think people who just get off work and just want to hang with their family should be killed, that people who want to go get their car washed should be killed. I know you don’t believe that either.”

Terrell Edwards was a city employee who started in Public Works and moved to Parks and Recreation, Woodfin said. “He had just clocked out at 2:30,” on Friday afternoon, Woodfin said. “His cousin, Kevin McGhee, picked him up.”

Both Edwards, 38, and McGhee, 38, along with Cortez Ray, 32, and Talton “TJ” Tait, 36, were gunned down outside a home about 2:45 p.m. in the 900 block of Center Street North.

McGhee, whose mother, Mary, works for the enforcement division of Parks and Recreation, had recently applied to be a City of Birmingham employee also, Woodfin said.

“This affects our work family,” Woodfin said.

Woodfin also spoke about the killing of his cousin, Angeliyah ne-vaeh Jolie Webster, who was pregnant, and Christan Tyre Norris, both 20, whose bodies were found about 4 p.m. Friday inside Norris’ vehicle in the 1500 block of 20th Place in Ensley.

“Then you have this couple, both expecting parents, both 20 years of age,” Woodfin said. “That hits home.”

The unborn child would have also been his cousin, the fifth generation on his father’s side, Woodfin said.

“Liyah was pregnant with a minimum of fourth generation on my dad’s side,” Woodfin said.

“There’s so many questions,” he said. “There is a lot of angst and anger and sadness and frustration and a host of raw emotions.”

It’s an uphill battle against a culture that promotes violence and protects shooters, he said.

“BPD is literally doing everything they can to walk down and investigate every single lead,” Woodfin said. “BPD can’t do it themselves.”

The reluctance of witnesses to provide information hampers investigation, Woodfin said.

“It takes people with information to come forward,” he said. “There are too many people comfortable protecting shooters, housing them, giving them safe harbor, laying up with them, baby mamas, girlfriends, wives, whatever. Parents and siblings and friends who know what they’re doing, know they pull triggers, know they’re shooters, and give them safe haven.”

Woodfin said that he had visited Edwards’ mother at her home in the Smithfield housing community and he offered his support to the families of all the victims.

“To all our colleagues who knew these families, the mayor’s office is with you, we’re praying with you and for you,” Woodfin said. “We will continue to do everything to bring the swiftest justice, and some form of relief for these families, by catching the perpetrators who did this. We need the community’s help.”