MILWAUKEE — Community stakeholders came together Tuesday night to discuss the City of Milwaukee’s violence.
The goal of the “Break the Silence” community rally event was to express the need for all members of the community to work together to help prevent crime.
“If there’s a way we can prevent something before it happens, then we are saving lives,” said organizer Tracey Dent.
After a weekend of violence in the city where three people were killed in one home, Jamal Smith with the city’s Office of Violence Prevention said while thoughts and prayers are needed in a time like this, people also need to be driven to do more.
- Triple homicide at 54th and Mill, victims identified
- Several cars, homes struck by gunfire near 5th and Becher
“Sympathy and empathy for victims of violence and families must move people to a level past stagnation,” Smith said.
Representatives of the Police and Fire Department at the event spoke about the toll crime is having on first responders.
“We’re dealing with just non-stop violence from the moment we start work (until) the moment we end work,” said Milwaukee Police Officer Taylor from District 7.
Milwaukee’s Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said, "My firefighters and paramedics are never going to tap out, but I’m telling you they are going to burn out.”
Milwaukee Police Department officials provided TMJ4 News with the latest numbers on homicides in the city and how many cases have been cleared, meaning an arrest has been made.
As of March 29, there have been 52 homicides in 2022, and 58% of them have been cleared. These numbers match up against the averages nationwide. According to FBI statistics, the clearance rate nationwide is 61%, and for cities the size of Milwaukee it’s 55%.
