• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Your neighborhood. Your News.

newsMilwaukee NNSMilwaukee NNSSearch
Subscribe to NNS today!
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    • Arts and Recreation
    • Community
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Health and Wellness
    • Housing
    • Public Safety
    • NNS Spotlight
    • Special Report
  • Posts From Community
    • Submit a Story
  • Community Voices
  • How To
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Local Video
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect
    • NNS WGLB 1560 Radio
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • About
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • News 414
    • The neighborhoods we cover
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University

You are here: Home / Home / Carousel / Summit educates teens on realities of gun violence

Summit educates teens on realities of gun violence

March 5, 2014 by Karen Stokes Leave a Comment

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Edward Austin shares his story of how gun violence changed his life. (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Edward Austin shares his story of how gun violence changed his life. (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Edward Austin is painfully aware of the reality of losing a loved one to gun violence and how making the wrong decision in the summer of 2009 changed his life.

Austin, 33, and his cousin, Lavelle Felton, were heading out to a nightclub. Austin’s uncle lent them his car, filled with gas, and warned them not to go to the gas station because of recent violence at night.

Nevertheless, after visiting the club, they stopped at the gas station to refill the tank. Once there, Austin recalled, “All kinds of disturbance occurred and then the shooting started.” Austin immediately jumped out of the car and ran. After the shooting stopped, he looked back and didn’t see Felton. He ran back to the car and found his cousin shot, motionless and unresponsive. Felton later died.

Austin and others shared their stories recently at an event called “Silence the Gun: Violence Prevention Summit” at Neighborhood House of Milwaukee, 2819 W. Richardson Place in Concordia. Co-sponsored by Safe and Sound, the summit was targeted to teens to educate them about the realities of gun violence. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, WNOV-AM’s Homer Blow, representatives of the Milwaukee Police Department and about 100 teens, parents and community activists attended.

“With the summit, I want to take away the fantasy of gun violence and dispel the rap ideas. I believe teens don’t realize the seriousness,” said James Austin, teen program supervisor at Neighborhood House, who invited his cousin, Edward, and his sister, Shatitia, to speak about their personal experiences.

Community activist Tracey Dent talks to teens about self-respect. (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Community activist Tracey Dent talks to teens about self-respect. (Photo by Karen Stokes)

According to MPD statistics, there were 106 homicides and 532 non-fatal shooting victims in 2013. “Because of concealed carry, there are more shooters on the streets. Unfortunately people make quick decisions while having a gun,” said Officer Hue Kong, community liaison officer. He added, “Conflict resolution does not start with a gun.”

According to Kong, the primary reasons for shootings are an argument or fight, drug and gang-related activity and accidental gunfire. He said 80 percent of the homicide victims knew their attackers and 15 percent of the non-fatal shooting victims knew their attackers.

Shatitia Austin, also a victim of gun violence, knew the man who shot her.

On May 31, 1996, she had just returned home with her infant daughter. She looked out the bedroom window and noticed a car she recognized outside. Shots fired through the window and she was hit several times in the face and neck.

Shatitia went through surgery and still has pellets in her head today. But she survived and thrived with the support of her family. She now has three children and has earned a bachelor’s degree in business management.

The shooter was an acquaintance of Shatitia’s boyfriend, who owed him money and shot her in retaliation. The gunman was arrested, tried and sent to prison.

“People with guns need to have self-control,” she said.

Tracey Dent, community activist and founder of Peace for Change Alliance, challenged the teens to be part of the solution. “How are we going to solve these crimes if nobody speaks up?” Dent said. ”We need to stop the ‘I’m not snitching’ thing.” He also challenged the parents in the audience, reminding them that solutions begin in the home.

“We need to talk to our children; we don’t know the secrets that they hold about what they see happening in the neighborhood,” Dent said.

Jennai Thornton, 15, who is in the teen program at Neighborhood House and attended the summit, said she learned a lot, “mainly that there are other ways to solve conflict than just getting mad and getting a gun.”

“I shared the crime rate information from the police and the stories that people told with my family and I want them to come and get involved in other crime prevention neighborhood events,” the teenager said.

James Austin encouraged attendees to get involved in their neighborhood. He said he plans to hold additional events to reach people all over the city. “Teens need to … tell the authorities what they know,” Austin said. “More young people need to take a stand.”

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Carousel, Home, Neighborhoods, News, Public Safety Tagged With: gun violence, neighborhood house, Public Safety, Safe & Sound

Avatar

About Karen Stokes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement

How To …

How to avoid stimulus check scams

A new round of stimulus checks will likely also bring out a new round of scams. Here’s what to watch out for.

More "How To" articles

Advertisement

Recommended Reading

A Vaccine Reality Check

The Atlantic

UWM study on the state of Black Milwaukee describes the city as ‘the epitome of a 21st century racial regime’

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Videos Show How Federal Officers Escalated Violence in Portland

The New York Times

These mayors want to fight Covid-19 and the recession with one big idea: A guaranteed income

Vox

The World John Lewis Helped Create

The Atlantic

News

  • Arts and Recreation
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Health and Wellness
  • Housing
  • Public Safety
  • NNS Spotlight
  • Special Reports
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Videos
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect Radio

Engage with us

  • Posts from Community
  • Community Voices
  • Submit a Story

About NNS

  • Staff
  • Partners
  • News414
  • The neighborhoods we cover
  • Internship opportunities
  • Careers
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS feed

Communities

Contact

mailing address
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Diederich College of Communication
Marquette University
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Johnston Hall 430
Milwaukee, WI 53233

email
info@milwaukeenns.org

phone & fax
PHONE: 414.604.6397 FAX: 414.288.6494

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is a project of Diederich College of Communication and Marquette University.
© 2020 Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Terms of use.
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee WI 53233 • info@milwaukeenns.org

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in