Mayor Tom Barrett, City Leaders Call For Gun Safety from Children
Partnership Seeks to Prevent Accidental Gun Related Deaths and Injuries Involving Children
MILWAUKEE – On Monday, March 12, 2018, Mayor Tom Barrett was joined by the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention and West Care Milwaukee to call on families to consistently and securely store firearms out of the reach of children and youth. So far this year, according to the national Gun Violence Archive, 118 children under the age of 11 have been injured or killed as a result of gun violence in America.
“The shooting of Miyanna D. Jelks was the first shooting death of a child this year and I’m hoping and praying that it is the last,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “We as a city, and adults in this city, have to do everything they can to make sure that guns, loaded or unloaded, are not within the reach of children.”
The Office of Violence Prevention has produced gun safety guides with tips and information on its website www.milwaukee.gov/staysafe and also partnered with the Love Up, Lock Down campaign created by West Care Milwaukee. This is a youth-led campaign that provides free gun locks throughout the community.
Free Gun Locks will be available today at the West Care office located at 335 W. Wright. This week free gun locks will also be available at the following locations:
Milwaukee Police District Stations
District 2: 245 W. Lincoln Ave
District 7: 3626 W. Fond Du Lac Ave
City of Milwaukee Health Centers
Keenan Health Center: 3200 N. 36th St.
Northwest Health Center: 7630 W. Mill Road
Southside Health Center: 1639 S. 23rd
** No ID required. Limit 3 per household **
In addition to ongoing outreach and education activities, there will be an aggressive public awareness campaign launched this spring to promote firearm safety. The Office of Violence Prevention will also encourage parents who find an unwanted gun in their home to turn it in anonymously.
“These deaths are absolutely preventable. It is up to all of us to do everything possible to ensure that no child has access to an unsecured firearm” says Reggie Moore, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention.
“No child in our city should be injured or killed as a result of gun violence,” said Reggie Moore, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention. “We kindly encourage people to take responsibility to understand that the safety of our children is all of our responsibilities.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Gun Violence
- Senator Agard Introduces Firearm Safety Bills with Legislative Democratic Colleagues - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - Oct 26th, 2023
- AG Kaul to U.S. Attorney General Garland: Firearm Regulations Must Include Ghost Guns - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Aug 20th, 2021
- Op Ed: Legal Firearms Used in Many Mass Shootings - O. Ricardo Pimentel - May 26th, 2021
- Bipartisan legislation a positive step forward for gun reform - Mayor Cavalier Johnson - May 17th, 2021
- Bipartisan Bill Bans Guns For Those Convicted of Domestic Violence - Erik Gunn - May 14th, 2021
- Club Midtown isn’t a thing - Mayor Cavalier Johnson - May 5th, 2021
- County Executive David Crowley Statement on Recent Acts of Gun Violence - County Executive David Crowley - May 4th, 2021
- Republicans Continue to Show their True Colors with Upcoming Budget Plans: The Time for Action is Now - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - May 3rd, 2021
- Continued gun violence underscores the need for change - Mayor Cavalier Johnson - May 3rd, 2021
- Senator Agard: Statement on Shooting Tragedy at the Oneida Casino Complex - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - May 2nd, 2021
Read more about Gun Violence here
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