Barrett: "We need to get through to their hard heads before bullets do"

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Far too many innocent bystanders are falling victim to gun violence. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on Friday met with several agencies, including the Milwaukee Police Department, the ATF and the FBI about fighting this problem. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said on Monday, June 16th that we need to change the way young people in our city think -- and we need to change their access to guns.

With that in mind, Mayor Barrett announced the creation of a confidential gun hotline. It will allow anyone to call and leave information about illegal guns being possessed by family, friends, anyone -- and do so without leaving their name or phone number.

The gun hotline is 414-335-GUNS (4867).

In a news conference Monday afternoon, Mayor Barrett rattled off several statistics about gun violence in the City of Milwaukee. He said 30 children have been shot since the beginning of the year. He added there have been 185 non-fatal shootings and 30 homicides in the city since January 1st. Mayor Barrett also said Milwaukee police have taken more than 1,000 guns off the street so far this year.

"This is insane," Mayor Barrett said.

In speaking about the youth of the city, Barrett said, "We need to get through to their hard heads before bullets do. Bullets kill -- and there are too many innocent bystanders."

This weekend, three young children were injured after they were shot in separate incidents.

On Sunday, June 15th, an 11-year-old girl was shot and wounded as she shopped inside the Sparkle Foods convenience store near Hopkins and Keefe.

On Saturday, June 14th, one of three shootings left a four-year-old boy injured.

On Friday, June 13th, a five-month-old boy suffered a graze wound when an individual fired shots at the vehicle he was a passenger in.

"I got shot in my thigh. My feet got numb," Makayla Criss -- shot inside the Sparkle Foods convenience store on Sunday night said.

Criss says when she was inside the store during an attempted robbery on Sunday night, frightening thoughts raced through her mind.

"That I was going to get shot in my head or my chest -- I was going to die," Makayla Criss said.

Luckily, she survived.

"The bullet went in and out. She still has fragments in her legs," Makayla's mother, Tamika Criss said.

Makayla's mother says she's thankful it wasn't worse. Makayla is on crutches for now, but her mental and emotional scars will last for a long time.

"I'll be scared to go to the store forever," Makayla Criss said.

"It's a long road ahead. She's going to probably have to do some counseling. I didn't think one of my kids would be another statistic of another little kid being shot," Tamika Criss said.

It's a trend Mayor Barrett is working to stop.

Mayor Barrett says police are doing all they can, and now it's time for the Legislature and Governor to step up.

"Act to keep guns out of the hands of the criminals who are so prone to using them. Give us safer gun laws now, and give us sensible restrictions on the current CCW permits. I'm demanding prison time for habitual offenders caught with a gun. Enough is enough!" Mayor Barrett said.

Mayor Barrett has strongly encouraged all Milwaukeeans to reach out to the young people in their lives. He said to tell them that using a gun doesn't make them tough.

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