'Please fund us correctly': National organization advocates for local groups fighting against gun violence

MILWAUKEE (CBS58)--A national anti-violence group stopping in Wisconsin Saturday, May 29. It's all part of their cross-country series. Fund Peace advocates for those on the frontlines fighting against gun violence in their cities.

"Please fund us correctly, robustly, allow us to attack this epidemic of violence because we are the cure and we know how to address it," Dr. Chico Tillmon said. He is a member of Fund Peace. 

“It’s time out for investing in carceral methods that that leads to incarceration."

Fund Peace is a group of black and brown gun violence prevention experts who were invited to the White House to discuss solutions to help combat violence. Saturday the group visited Milwaukee and Kenosha. 

“They’ve approached the right people, they’ve approached it in a scientific fashion, they’ve come with the evidence to say that all of this works," Derrick Rodgers said. He is the 414 LIFE program director.

The group expressed the importance of president Biden’s infrastructure plan. It aims to give more than $5 billion support community-based violence prevention groups.

“We need all our congressional members both in the Senate and in the House to pass this infrastructure bill," Tillmon said. 

"We are committed to advocating for additional funds to support the work around violence prevention," Arnitta Hollimon said. She is the director of the Office of Violence Prevention. 

As of Thursday, May 27, there have been 62 homicides and 309 non-fatal shootings in 2021 so far in Milwaukee, compared to 61 homicides and 162 non-fatal shootings in 2020 during the same time frame. These numbers don't even include Friday's shooting incidents. At least two more shootings on Saturday, including a 15-year-old who was shot near 23th and west Wisconsin Avenue. It's the reason why Tillmon says these anti-violence groups are needed and must be funded. 

"I  think it’s time to stop talking, reimaging public safety and public health and to do something, lets put some action to this and stop the killing.

Fund peace presented a $5,000 check to local violence prevention groups in both Milwaukee and Kenosha.