JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Shootings by police officers have become one of the most talked about aspects of the city's struggle against violent crime. The number last year set a record and with four already this year, the city is on pace to set another record.

The latest police-involved shooting happened early Sunday morning outside an Arlington nightclub. An officer shot and killed a suspect after the man fired a gun into the air, investigators said.

The gun violence has many people worried.

"It makes me nervous just because I am in the area where it happened and that there are that many people walking around with guns," said Rob Johnson, a concerned citizen.

A day after the police shooting in Arlington, Sheriff John Rutherford sat down with Channel 4 reporter Jim Piggott to talk about the latest wave in officer-involved shootings.

"The problem is right now we already have a generation out there that are willing to shoot you 30 minutes from now when you leave this office. We have to deal with them right now, but we also have to stop that 10-year-old from growing up to be a 15-year-old who shoots people," Rutherford said.

The sheriff said that has been the hard part. He believes intervention programs like the Jacksonville Journey are a start, but the sheriff used charts and graphs to explain how the number of guns on the streets could be a key cause of what's happening.

He said in 2002 there were 15 cases in which suspects had guns and became violent with police. Last year, that number jumped to 41. The sheriff said that 173 percent increase.

In 2002, there were 621 reported stolen guns. That number increased to 1359 by 2008.

"They are stealing them from homes, from cars and they are stealing from licensed dealers," Rutherford said.

Police said the thieves have been using those stolen guns in crimes on the streets and to threaten police.

"These are crazy times. They don't understand this. Nobody has an answer for it," said Nelson Cuba of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Cuba said the message the sheriff and others need to get across is don't pull a gun on an officer. If you do, you'll be shot. They are trained to eliminate a threat.

"We are always vigilant, now probably more than ever, because of the things that are going on and these individuals being more bold at what they are doing," Cuba said.

Rutherford said he would like to work with legislators on making a change in the way gun are available for purchase at gun shows. He said he wants to make sure that the people buying guns can legally do so.