After a weekend that saw several shootings in Spartanburg County, three of them fatal, officials hope a new program will help end the violence.

The program is called the "Summer of Silence." It will be put into action by a team comprised of the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, put together by Solicitor Trey Gowdy.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald said, "This is the first time a local solicitor has taken it upon himself to formalize that relationship."

The team will be going after anyone in the county who is caught with a gun but shouldn't have one. That includes convicted felons, those engaged in drug crimes, addicts or those using a controlled substance and anyone convicted of domestic violence or who is subject to a restraining order.

McDonald said, "These individuals -- I can promise you -- will be dealt with."

Each case will be screened to see if it can be tried in federal court, where cases move quicker and bon amounts and penalties are higher.

Officials say they already have evidence that the program is working after a Wellford officer pulled over a man who had a gun in his possession.

ATF agent C.J. Hyman said, "That individual last month was indicted in federal court for possession of drugs, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and he probably will be (sentenced to) at least 10 or 15 years."

Officials said if that man had been tried at the state level, the penalty wouldn't have been as stiff.

Hyman said, "We hope this summer will be a quieter one in Spartanburg."