Senseless gun violence ends a much-loved 12-year-old’s journey before it truly gets started
Joint statement from all members of the Milwaukee Common Council: Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Robert J. Bauman, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, Alderman Michael J. Murphy, Alderman Mark A. Borkowski, Alderman José G. Pérez, Alderman Scott Spiker, Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, and Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II
Earlier this week tragedy struck again. A 12-year-old girl was helping her mother carry in groceries Monday evening when they were both shot, and the young girl was killed. She was the youngest of six kids, and we send our best to her mother, father, siblings, family members, and all those in the community that are grieving the loss of this girl who had her entire life ahead of her.
Gun violence has become too commonplace when it comes to “solving” arguments or dealing with confrontations. In no way should pulling the trigger be an acceptable way to handle any situation, and it is on all of us to do better.
Resources are available to help if a situation seems like it may escalate into violence. In addition to using the MPD emergency (9-1-1) and non-emergency number (414-933-4444), 414LIFE staff that are affiliated with the city’s Office of Violence Prevention are experienced in violence interruption and de-escalation and are here to help. They can be reached at 414-439-5525. For those who were affected by this incident, or any incident, you can receive assistance by calling the city’s Mobile Trauma Response Team (MPD), at 414-257-7621 or by contacting Milwaukee County’s 24-hour Mental Health Crisis Line at 414-257-7222.
MPD continues to seek known suspects regarding this homicide. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or P3 Tips.
It will take all of us to curb gun violence, and helping prevent even a single incident can make all the difference.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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Hopefully someone will call to have me explain the following
Thomas Spellman 414 403 1341
Can someone please explain WHY
WHY are we NOT providing therapy to all those children whose behavior is social unacceptable?
Surely we KNOW that their socially unacceptable behavior is a CRY for HELP and not an affront to authority
WHY do we allow OUR children to be suspended and in some cases expelled from school??
Surely we KNOW that the vast majority of these children have been traumatized and that their socially unacceptable behavior is a CRY for HELP not an affront to school authority
AND
Surely we KNOW that there is damage being doing to the developing brain of ALL children who are suspended and expelled!
WHY do we allow OUR children, who are incarcerated, because their socially unacceptable behavior was not addressed long BEFORE they committed that socially unacceptable act that caused them to be incarcerated.
Surely we KNOW that ALL incarcerated children MUST have therapy for the trauma that they have suffered – experienced long before they were incarcerated.
WHY do we allow OUR children to be held in any form of solitary confinement???
Surely we KNOW that there is significant damage being doing to the developing brain of ALL children who are held in any form of solitary confinement!
And finally
WHY do those WHO KNOW that trauma causes significant brain injure to children remain SILENT to the desperate NEEDS of the CHILDREN whose behavior is socially unacceptable?
A Children’s Manifesto for Milwaukee
This is the background I will leave it to others who will write it
Because we are seeing the Child’s belligerent behavior as a CRY FOR HELP and NOT seeing the belligerent behavior as a problem or a crime, to be punished, we can respond to the CRY FOR HELP!!
Let us start with a simple question
Is a Child, whose behavior is socially unacceptable, BAD (intentionally and willfully)?
OR
Is a Child, whose behavior is socially unacceptable, suffering from a BRAIN INJURY caused by trauma that the child has experienced?
YES which is it?
Is the Child’s socially unacceptable behavior a SYMPTOM for the BRAIN INJURY and NOT a CRIME as most socially unacceptable behaviors are labeled?
We KNOW TODAY, all that needs to be known, to change the life course for literally thousands of Milwaukee’s children, WHO WILL BECOME PART OF THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE if WE DO NOT ACT!
ALL of Milwaukee’s children who are suffering trauma in all of its forms ARE crying out for HELP in a number of ways
Being BELLIGERENT IN SCHOOL (socially unacceptable behavior) or Community Center
Current practice is to suspend (further traumatize the child)
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
Dropping out of school – Very poor attendance (socially unacceptable behavior)
Current practice Provide lip service BUT there are not the resources to really address the trauma
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
Self Injury in its many forms (Socially unacceptable behavior)
Current practice Provide a little more than lip service BUT there are not the resources to really address the trauma
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
Running away (Socially unacceptable behavior)
Current practice Provide FILL IN Milwaukee’s practice
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
Adolescent Behavior described as criminal Kids involved in the courts
Current practice Provide FILL IN Milwaukee’s practice
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
WARDS of the State Approaching and Upon 18
Support for those who are WARDS of the State who do not have the capacity to work and support themselves, to be supported by a State program until they are able to get on SSI
Yes all children (young adults) who upon their 18th birthday or who declare themselves before a court that they have become adults before they are 18, will be provided a hostel room (single or double their choice). This RIGHT(?) (Right to life, liberty ….. ) will be used by few. It will provide to society a great deal of safety (society and personal) and to the individual a safe place to sleep and begin to build one’s life. The rest of the program is to provide the support so no one must spend their energy trying to figure out where they will sleep and be safe on any given night.
FILL IN for what is happening in Milwaukee
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
All Individuals who have been Incarcerated and are now on probation/parole
Current practice in general more harassment and NO HELP FILL IN Provide a little more than lip service BUT there are not the resources to really address the trauma
New practice Provide care that is responsive to the trauma that the child experienced or more likely is experiencing.
Thomas Spellman 414 403 1341 June 26, 2022