Violence during Ceasefire Week: Is the message even getting through?

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee saw four shootings on Wednesday, May 14th -- in the middle of Ceasefire Week. Five people were hurt, including an 11-year-old girl. So is the message of Ceasefire Week even getting through?

There was a significant police presence on Thursday, May 15th in neighborhoods affected by violence on Wednesday.

There were four confirmed shootings in Milwaukee on Wednesday -- the first occurring near 25th and Capitol, where the 11-year-old girl and a 29-year-old man were shot and injured.

"Makes me feel terrible on the inside and terrified that these innocent kids, you know, they just become innocent victims," a witness to the 25th and Capitol shooting said.

The second shooting occurred near S. 19th Street and Hayes Avenue on the city’s south side. A 20-year-old man was injured.

The third shooting occurred in the 2800 block of N. 21st Street. A 19-year-old man was injured.

"It's really sad. It scared the whole block, you know," Cleo Wright said. She heard the 19-year-old victim in the 21st Street shooting call for help.

The fourth shooting occurred near 65th and Hampton. An individual was injured -- but he was able to transport himself to the hospital.

This weekend, a gun buy back event is planned for the Tabernacle Community Baptist Church -- but given the violence we've already seen this week, is the message of Ceasefire Week reaching the right population of people?

"The mayor got a ceasefire going on -- but it seem like ain't nobody ceasing," the witness to the 25th and Capitol shooting said.

This witness says there are not enough police on the street -- but Cleo Wright says she feels it's a problem of too many guns.

"The police drive up and down this street all day, every day, so you know, that's not the case," Wright said.

The witness and Wright agree that more needs to be done in terms of neighborhood watch programs.

"We need to start doing more. Is there a block watch captain over here? That's another thing I need to figure out," the 25th and Capitol shooting witness said.

As part of Ceasefire Week, there are events scheduled for this weekend -- including a gun buy back event.

That's being held on Saturday, at the Tabernacle Community Baptist Church.

"(Wednesday's violence) reveals that the culture of violence is too widespread in the city and too common," Don Darius Butler, the pastor of the Tabernacle Community Baptist Church said.

Wednesday's shootings happened in a matter of hours -- and the violence raises the question of whether Ceasefire Week is really having an impact.

"It strengthens our resolve to be engaged at this level and then to continue our involvement in this effort beyond the week, so it does motivate us even more to be more diligent, more passionate, more aggressive," Butler said.

Ramon Candelaria is the executive director of the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative. He sees the week's value more in the communication it fosters.

"Everybody has a role in all this. Ceasefire allows those roles to continue to connect with each other, learn from one another and talk to each other and make sure that we`re on the same page when we go out to the streets and try to curb this," Candelaria said.

Both Butler and Candelaria seem to agree that while Wednesday's events are tragic, Ceasefire Week's true value comes from the conversation it fuels throughout the rest of the year.

"Two families of our church have had to bury loved ones to gun violence and so yes -- I feel what those families feel, but it does strengthen my resolve toward creating an alternative reality," Butler said.

The witness of the shooting near 25th and Capitol says he just hopes things don't get worse.

"It ain't even summer yet. It ain't even hot outside yet," the witness said.

CLICK HERE to learn more about this weekend's gun buy back event, and Ceasefire Week.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Wednesday's shootings.