THIS IS A WISN 12 EDITORIAL WITH PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER JAN WADE HOMICIDE AND MOST OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES CONTINUE TO DECLINE IN AMERICAN CITIES, BUT REMAIN AT HIGHER LEVELS THAN BEFORE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. THAT’S PART OF A NEW MID-YEAR REPORT JUST RELEASED FROM THE COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE. BUT HERE IN MILWAUKEE, CRIME TRENDS APPEAR TO BE MIXED THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. CITY VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIMES DROPPED 13%. OVERALL, CAR THEFT IS DOWN 32% FROM LAST YEAR. AND WE’VE SEEN A REDUCTION IN HOMICIDES FROM 105 DEATHS DOWN TO 72. BUT NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS REMAIN ESSENTIALLY FLAT FROM LAST YEAR AND ARE HAPPENING AT VIRTUALLY TWICE THE RATE OF 2019, LEAVING CITY LEADERS AND RESIDENTS FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY OVER MILWAUKEE’S ONGOING GUN VIOLENCE. TRAGICALLY, YOUNG CHILDREN ARE NOW GETTING CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS AT AN ALARMING RATES AS OF JULY, 83 HAVE BEEN INJURED IN SHOOTINGS, UP MORE THAN 35% FROM A YEAR AGO. AND 14 CHILDREN HAVE DIED. SADLY, GUNS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY. THE LEADING CAUSE AND THIS PROBLEM IS HEARTBREAKINGLY, UNIQUELY AMERICAN, BUT THERE IS NOTHING MORE UN-AMERICAN ABOUT IT. IT’S AN INEXCUSABLE TRAGEDY. EVERY DAY IN AMERICA AND MILWAUKEE, A NEVER ENDING, VICIOUS CYCLE OF VIOLENCE, SENSELESS SHOOTINGS AND YOUNG LIVES LOST. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAW. I’M TALKING ABOUT THE BABIES, THE TODDLERS AND THE LITTLE KIDS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF TRAGIC HAPPENSTANCE. THEY DON’T CONTROL. IT’S SENSELESS. IT HAS TO STOP. AND IT STARTS WITH GETTING THE GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN’T HAVE THEM ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. IT’S MORE THAN TIME FOR CHANGE. I’M JA