It’s hard to get more real about gun violence than hearing from those who have lived through it.
The survivors of gun violence gathered for a panel discussion Thursday at Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond Du Lac Ave., as part of “Milwaukee Peace Week 2026.”
Titled, “Breaking Down Bullets,” the panel included family or friends of people who were shot or killed by guns and others. Participants discussed their grief, causes of gun violence, resources available to youth, and public education and mental health, among other topics.
Peace Week in Milwaukee
Launched by Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Peace Week involves city departments, community-based organizations, schools, faith leaders and residents. Together, they participate in activities meant to build “a safer Milwaukee,” according to a city website.
Other Peace Week events this week included community walks and youth-focused activities.
While some events are celebratory or community-building in nature, “Breaking Down Bullets” was designed to center lived experience, involving blunt talk about guns and violence.
Debra Gillispie, Susan Schmidt, Melody Villanueva and Talishsa Davis-Novotny served as panelists during the event. All had family members who were shot or killed with guns.
Other panelists included Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and state Rep. Kalan Haywood.
Organized in partnership with Mothers Against Gun Violence Milwaukee, the panel was moderated by Karin Tyler, director of the city’s Department of Community Wellness and Safety. Tyer herself lost a son to gun violence.
Although many serious crimes declined from 2024 to 2025, homicides increased by 7% over that period, according to publicly available data from the Milwaukee Police Department.
More recent year-to-date crime data shows improvement, with homicides down 15% and nonfatal shootings down 24% compared with the same point last year, as of May 20.
What can change?
Here are ideas from Gillispie, Schmidt, Villanueva and Davis-Novotny about what they think can help create a safer Milwaukee.
Debra Gillispie, founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence Milwaukee, talked about engaging with kids when a “red flag” goes up.
“I think we should do red alerts in our community – meaning if a child didn’t show up for school today, well, we know he or she isn’t in school,” Gillispie said. “There should be follow up – if a kid was suspended, there should be some follow up. There are opportunities for us to find out what’s happening in this youth’s life.”
Debra Gillispie
Susan Schmidt, whose brother was killed in 2005, talked about supporting youth in a different way.
“Education, prevention, and empathy, you know? We just have to educate all that starting at a young age – there are resources.”
Susan Schmidt
Melody Villanueva, a member of Mother Against Gun Violence Milwaukee, discussed what she sees as racism, referencing a recent mass shooting in San Diego, CA.
“We need to nip that racism ideology in the bud … it’s unacceptable.” she said. “If we come together and actually face the facts, we could come up with the solutions.”
Melody Villanueva
Talishsa Davis-Novotny, whose best friend survived a shooting, discussed domestic violence.
“There’s a lot of calls that are made or things like that, people reaching out for help and support, and they are not getting it,” she said. “When you’re calling for help in a situation of domestic violence, you’re reaching out to your community or your village or law enforcement, and they are pushing that aside. Then it escalates.”
Talishsa Davis-Novotny
Here are resources to help prevent, interrupt and respond to violence.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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