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May Violence Prevention Month in Milwaukee, homicides up 48%
Milwaukee is on pace to break the homicide record for the third year in a row. On Sunday, the start of Violence Prevention Month in Milwaukee, a group met for a march down MLK Drive.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee is on pace to break the homicide record for the third year in a row. On Sunday, May 1, the start of Violence Prevention Month in Milwaukee, a group met near the Martin Luther King, Jr. statue for a march down MLK Drive.
This group wanted to make it known that they are not OK with the direction in which this city has been heading.
Rena Ellis said she wants to simply feel safe walking down the streets of Milwaukee.
"I can’t go to the park anymore because a stolen car ran up on the court while we were playing basketball," said Ellis.
Ellis was one of the youngest to spend her Sunday at the "Victory over Violence Walk." She wanted to represent.
"We need one of our own to speak out to them so that they can actually understand what it does to us, how we feel about it," said Ellis.
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Milwaukee police statistics show homicides are up 48% in 2022 compared to 2021, including six children that were shot and killed. It's why Ellis now has an earlier curfew.
"I can’t go outside after like, 9:00 because somebody got shot in the neck outside on the street," said Ellis.
She wants people to stop and take notice.
"It’s getting worse," said Ellis. "People are getting comfortable. Like, they normalize the fact that all this is going on. They become OK with it. They just adapted to what’s going on, and we need to let them know that it’s not OK."
Ellis had a message for all the kids who didn't show up.
"You don’t have to penalize our city and put our lives in danger just to feel cool," said Ellis. "There’s other things out there to do, and we got to stay living past 20."