MILWAUKEE YESTERDAY, TWO ADULTS
AND TWO CHILDREN.
POLICE SAY ONE OF THE ADULTS WAS
KILLED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS NOT RARE.
LAST YEAR IN MILWAUKEE, 100
PEOPLE WERE VICTIMS OF HOMICIDE.
ANOTHER 475 WERE VICTIMS OF
NONFATAL SHOOTINGS.
WHILE MURDERS DRAW MORE
ATTENTION, THE EFFECTS OF A
NONFATAL SHOOTING CAN BE LIFE
ALTERING AND RIPPLE JUST AS FAR
INTO THE COMMUNITY.
>> IN AUGUST OF 2018, TYRESE
MOSBEY WAS LOOKING TO START A
NEW CHAPTER IN HIS LIFE.
HE HAD ENROLLED IN AN
ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL HOPING TO
CATCH UP WITH HIS STUDIES.
>> IT WAS GOOD.
I CAME TO SCHOOL ON TIME.
>> TYRESE STOOD OUT.
>> HIS ENGLISH TEACHER.
>> HE WASN'T A FOLLOWER.
HE WAS ONE OF THE ONES IN THE
CLASSROOM THAT WHEN I GAVE AN
ASSIGNMENT, HE FINISHED IT ON
TIME.
>> ON AUGUST 29 TYRESE FINISHED
HIS LATEST ASSIGNMENT.
>> I WILL ACHIEVE AND REACH MY
GOAL BY ATTENDING SCHOOL ON
TIME, STAYING IN MY OWN LANE AND
BY STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THAT AFTERNOON, THERE WAS A
FIGHT AT SCHOOL THAT SPILLED
INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UNINVOLVED, TYRESE ENDED UP AT
THE BUS STOP DOWN THE BLOCK.
>> AND THEN IT WAS ME AND SOME
OTHER FRIENDS AT THE BUS STOP.
AND I GUESS THE MAN CAME BACK
AND THREW A PASS.
AND HE LOOKED AT ME.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM.
THEN AS I WAS ABOUT TO RUN, YOU
KNOW, HE UP AND SHOOT ME.
HE SHOT TEN TIMES.
HIT ME ONCE.
I FELT IT RIGHT HERE IN MY HEAD.
I FELL TO THE GROUND ON MY LEFT
SIDE.
>> HIS TEACHER HEARD THE SHOTS
AND RAN OUTSIDE.
>> AND WE SEE A POLICE OFFICER
GIVING CPR.
>> AND I SAW HIM.
I SEEN A POLICE.
I THINK I'M CHECKING OUT.
I THOUGHT I WAS DYING.
>> THE DAY I GOT THE CALL, --
>> TYRESE'S MOTHER GOT THE CALL
AT WORK.
>> I'M CRYING HAPPY TEARS AND
SAD TEARS.
BUT WHEN I GOT THAT CALL, I
DIDN'T -- NOT ONE SOUL IN MY
BODY, MY BABY WAS GONE.
>> TYRESE WAS IN A COMA.
>> A COMA LIKE IS A LONG, LONG
NIGHTMARE.
>> HE CAME OUT OF IT, BUT
REMAINED HOSPITALIZED.
FOUR MONTHS LATER, TYRESE
SURVIVED BRAIN SURGERY.
BUT HIS LEFT SIDE WAS PARALYZED
AND HE COULDN'T TALK.
>> WHEN I WOKE UP THE COMA, I
COULDN'T REALLY TALK.
I COULDN'T EVEN MOVE MY WHOLE
LEFT SIDE.
I STILL CAN'T MOVE MY ARM YET.
BUT I COULDN'T MOVE MY LEFT LEG.
I'M WORKING ON GETTING STRONGER.
>> HE WAS FACING MONTHS OF
REHAB.
SUDDENLY HIS ACADEMIC GOALS TOOK
ON A NEW MEANING.
>> I WILL LEAD MYSELF IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION AND PUSH MYSELF
TO DO BETTER.
>> WHILE TEE REESE TYRESE STRUGGLED IN
REHAB, HIS MOTHER STRUGGLED
TAKING CARE OF HIS SIBLINGS
WHILE VISITING TYRESE AND TRY TO
KEEP HER JOB.
>> THAT'S WHAT KEEP ME STRONG,
THE KIDS.
HE AIN'T GOING NOWHERE.
WITH ALL THE BAD NEWS AND GOOD
NEWS, I CRY HAPPY TEARS, SAD
TEARS.
>> SHE MOVED OUT OF HER
APARTMENT, FEARING MORE VIOLENCE
AND ENDED UP HOMELESS.
>> I'VE BEEN STRESSED.
>> NOW HIS TEACHER IS HOPING THE
COMMUNITY STEPS UP TO HELP THEM.
>> WHAT I NOTICE IN OUR
COMMUNITY IS WHEN A PERSON THAT
WE RAISE SO MUCH MONEY FOR THE
FUNERAL, BUT THEN WHEN THE
CHILDREN DO SURVIVE, THEY'RE BY
THEMSELVES.
>> TYRESE SPENT MOST OF HIS
REHAB AN HOUR AWAY FROM
MILWAUKEE, SO HIS MOTHER COULD
ONLY SEE HIM ONCE A WEEK.
OR WHEN HE HAD APPOINTMENTS IN
THE CITY.
STRANGERS WHO HEARD HIS STORY
OFFERED THEIR PRAYERS.
>> WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
TYRESE FROM A MIGHTY, MIGHTY,
MIGHTY LONG WAYS.
>> WE PRAY.
LET'S PRAY THAT THEY SURVIVE.
WHEN THEY DO SURVIVE, THEY'RE
LEFT BY THEMSELVES.
>> WITH NEW GLASSES IN HANDS,
IT'S TIME TO HEAD BACK TO REHAB.
>> EVERY TIME IT HAPPEN, MAKE ME
WANNA CRY.
I BE DOWN, BUT IT BRING ME UP
KNOWING THAT HE'S NOT CRYING
AND, YOU KNOW.
SO I FEEL BETTER NOW.
BUT I BE HATE LEAVING HIM.
>> TYRESE HAD TO RELEARN SKILLS
HE HAD MASTERED LONG AGO.
BUT HE NEVER GAVE UP.
>> YOU NEVER LOSE HOPE OR FAITH.
EVEN THOUGH MY ARM IS NOT, YOU
KNOW, FULLY THERE YET, I HAVEN'T
GAVE UP, BECAUSE ONE DAY MY ARM
MIGHT MOVE.
>> GOOD.
PICK IT UP.
>> HIS GOAL WAS TO GET HOME, TO
BE A BIG BROTHER TO HIS BROTHER
AND SISTER.
>> MY MOTHER, MY TWO LITTLE SYB
INKS,SIBLINGS, THEY MY HEART.
>> LOOK AT HIM.
LOOK AT HIM.
>> HE GETTING UP.
>> TEN MONTHS AFTER HE WAS SHOT,
TYRESE WAS HOME.
>> IT IS LIKE A BLESSING FOR HIM
TO BE HOME.
SOMETIMES I WAKE UP AND I JUST
GO IN THE ROOM AND I KNOW HE BE
TALKING.
KEEP COMING UP HERE.
THAT'S MY -- HE'S 18 AND STILL
MY BABY.
>> IT'S HAPPY.
BUT IT CAN'T BE BE A HAPPY
ENDING.
BECAUSE TYRESE AND HIS FAMILY
WILL DEAL WITH THE IMPACT OF HIS
SHOOTING FOR THE REST OF THEIR
LIVES.
>> SOME PEOPLE SAY IT'S HARD,
LIKE WHEN A CHILD LIKE THIS,
HE'S STILL A BLESSING.
>> I THINK HE IS HOPE AND ALSO
AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT GUN VIOLENCE
DOES TO A COMMUNITY, TO A
FAMILY, TO A SCHOOL.
>> IT'S TOO MUCH.
THEY BE OUT THERE SHOOTING.
WHO YOU SHOOTING AT?
THAT'S NOT EVEN THE PERSON.
Y'ALL SHOOTING AT THE WRONG
PERSON.
>> IT'S EMOTIONALLY DRAINING, IT
IS.
HOW MANY TYRESES DO WE HAVE IN
MILWAUKEE?
>> THE IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE
DOES NOT STOP WITH TYRESE OR HIS
FAMILY.
FRIENDS, CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS
ALL CARRY THAT TRAUMA WITH THEM.
JOINING US NOW IS REGGIE MOORE,
WHO RUNS THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE
PREVENTION THROUGH THE CITY OF
MILWAUKEE'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> REGGIE, WHAT'S YOUR REACTION
TO TYRESE'S STORY?
>> THE FIRST THING I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE IS HIS RESILIENCE
AND RECOVERY AND JUST HOW PROUD
I AM OF HIM.
HIS TEACHER REACHED OUT TO THE
OFFICE LAST YEAR.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
BEEN FOLLOWING.
BUT ALSO I WANT TO UNDERSCORE
THE FACT THAT IN MILWAUKEE OVER
500 PEOPLE ARE SHOT EVERY YEAR.
AND UNFORTUNATELY I THINK THE
STORY UNDERSCORES THE FACT THAT
THIS POPULATION OFTEN GOES
INVISIBLE.
WE PAY ATTENTION TO THE NUMBER
OF HOMICIDES.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY RALLIES
AROUND THOSE FAMILIES, AS THEY
SHOULD.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE NEGLECT
TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE
GRAVITY OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE SUFFERING AND SURVIVING
AFTER BEING SHOT IN THE CITY.
>> WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON
CLASSMATES OF TYRESE WHEN THEY
SEE HIM SHOT OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL
AND THEN HAVE TO CARRY ON THE
NEXT DAY?
>> AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT FROM
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BOTH IN MY
OWN LIFE, BUT ALSO IN MY WORK
WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR
COMMUNITY.
IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY TRAUMATIC.
IT IS HARD TO OBVIOUSLY
CONCENTRATE OR FOCUS OR BE ABLE
TO MOVE ON AFTER SOMETHING HAS
HAPPENED TO SOMEBODY YOU CARE
ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, HOW
IMPORTANT EDUCATORS AND FOLKS
WHO HAVE DIRECT AND TRUSTED
RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE IN THAT HEALING PROCESS.
>> NOW, WE JUST HAD ANOTHER
EPISODE OF GUN VIOLENCE IN
MILWAUKEE.
IS THAT REOCCURRING TRAUMA GOING
TO AFFECT THE PEOPLE THAT KNEW
TYRESE A YEAR AGO?
EVERYONE WHO SUFFERED, DO THEY
SUFFER AGAIN WHEN THEY HEAR OF
ANOTHER EPISODE?
>> EVERY TIME THESE THINGS
HAPPEN, IT NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE
PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED, BUT IT
IMPACTS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S BEEN A SERIES OF
SHOOTINGS OVER THE PAST TWO
WEEKS, INCREASING INCIDENCE OF
WOMEN AND GIRLS SHOULD HAVE BEEN
SHOT.
THIS SHOCKS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OF
OUR COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE ARE WORKING EVERY DAY
TRYING TO PREVENT IT ON THE
FRONT END AND SUPPORT AND
PROVIDE HEALING ON THE BACK END.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
TO TAKE SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THE
TRAUMA THAT'S NOT TRANSFORMED
OFTEN GETS TRANSFERRED.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT DECADES OF
PAIN IN THIS COMMUNITY OF YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO GROW INTO ADULTS, WHO
CARRY A LOT OF PAIN, THAT MAY
EVENTUALLY OR COULD RESULT IN
RAGE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE TO DO TO REALLY STOP THE
PRODUCTION OF TRAUMA, BOACT BOTH FROM
A SYSTEMIC LEVEL, BUT ALSO ON A
PERSONAL LEVEL.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT HEALING, COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE, WHAT THAT MEANS ON
THE GROUND LEVEL.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT NEIGHBOR TO
NEIGHBOR, FAMILY TO FAMILY,
FRIEND TO FRIEND AND BEING
REALLY COMMITTED TO BEING HERE
FOR EACH OTHER AND NOT -- THE
SILENCE CAN BE DEAFENING.
IF SOMEBODY GETS SHOT IN A
COMMUNITY OR NEIGHBORHOOD AND
THERE'S NO OUTRAGE, NO RESPONSE,
NO OUTREACH FOLLOWING THAT, IT
BECOMES NORMALIZED.
WE CAN NEVER NORMALIZE THIS
LEVEL OF VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA IN
ANY COMMUNITY.
>> BESIDES THE OFFICE OF
VIOLENCE PREVENTION YOU'RE ALSO
INVOLVED WITH SCALING WELLNESS
IN MILWAUKEE OR WOMEN.
WHAT ARE THESE ORGANIZATIONS
DOING TO PROMOTE HEALING?
>> RIGHT.
WE HAVE A TRAUMA RESPONSE
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WORK WITH,
FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL AS
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIVISION.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE
2015 WHERE WE'VE TRAINED FIRST
RESPONDERS TO UNDERSTAND TRAUMA
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING
THAT CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN
EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE GET
IMMEDIATE AND CONSISTENT SUPPORT
AND COUNSELING AS NEEDED.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
CONTINUOUSLY DO.
WE'RE AT OVER 200 REFERRALS FOR
THIS YEAR ALONE.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SWIM,
WE'RING ATWE'RELOOKING AT HOW WE IMPROVE
COORDINATION, WORKING
COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY TO
ADDRESS THE AFTERMATH OF TRAUMA.
HOW DO WE BUILD COMMUNITY
CAPACITY TO PREVENT TRAUMA IN
THE FIRST PLACE?
>> WE TALK ABOUT THE CITY OF
MILWAUKEE, BUT ISN'T THE TRAUMA
DIFFERENT AND DEEPER WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR WITHIN MILWAUKEE?
>> I THINK YOU HAVE INCIDENTS OF
CONCENTRATED TRAUMA.
WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE
HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
WE DIDN'T GET HERE OVERNIGHT.
THERE WERE POLICIES AND
PRACTICES THAT HAVE CREATED
CONDITIONS WHERE POVERTY AND
TRAUMA THRIVE.
SO WE HAVE TO UNDO THAT.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO UNDO
THAT.
BUT WHILE WE DO THAT, WE ALSO
HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF TRIAGING
THE TRAUMA THAT'S HAPPENING.
THIS IS GOING TO TAKE AN ALL
HANDS ON DECK EFFORT FROM
POLICYMAKERS AND EVERYDAY
RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALL COGNIZANT
OF UNDERSTANDING HOW WE GOT HERE
AND HOW LONG OF THE EFFORT THAT
IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO TRANSFORM
THIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT EK EQUITABLE
INVESTMENT, WE HAVE NOT DONE
THAT.
WHAT WE'RE SUFFERING FROM RIGHT
NOW IS LACK OF INVESTMENT AND
PREVENTION OVER THE PAST TWO TO
THREE DECADES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
MILWAUKEE IS NOT ALONE.
WE HAVE OVER-RELIED ON THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO SOLVE
SYSTEMATIC ISSUES THAT BASICALLY
PUNISHING PEOPLE FOR THE PAIN
THAT THEY'VE SUFFERED AND
ENDURED.
SO AGAIN WE HAVE TO HAVE A
PARADIGM SHIFT IN HOW AS A
COMMUNITY WE BUILD A COMMUNITY
THAT CAN THRIVE AND NOT
CONSTANTLY REACTING TO TRAUMA ON
THE BACK END.
>> YOU MENTIONED NORMALIZING
THIS TRAUMA.
IS IT DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'RE EVEN
AFFECTED BY TRAUMA IN THE FIRST
PLACE?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY ADVERSE
EVENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY RESULT
IN TRAUMA.
WHEN I TOOK THE ASSIST SURVEY I
SCORED PRETTY HIGH.
SO MY EXPOSURE AS AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN IN THIS
COMMUNITY AND THE THINGS THAT I
EXPERIENCED AND WERE EXPOSED TO
WERE QUITE A FEW IN TERMS OF
ADVERSE EXPERIENCES, SOME MORE
TRAUMATIC THAN OTHERS.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT PEOPLE
ARE SELF-AWARE AND RECOGNIZE.
WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN, THAT
PARENTS ARE AWARE AND RECOGNIZE
THE EFFECTS OF PTSD AND TRAUMA
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, YES,
PRAYER WORKS.
THERE ARE OTHER TRADITIONAL
PRACTICES THAT DIFFERENT FAITH
COMMUNITIES OR INDIVIDUALS MAY
ENGAGE IN.
BUT ALSO DESTIGMATIZING MENTAL
HEALTH.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH
SEEKING COUNSELING OR TALKING TO
SOMEBODY ABOUT HOW YOU'RE
FEELING OR WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR
CHILD TO SAY MY CHILD IS WAKING
UP TWO, THREE TIMES A NIGHT
SCREAMING AS A RESULT OF THEIR
EXPOSURE TO SEEING THEIR FRIENDS
SHOT MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO OR A
YEAR AGO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OKAY NOT TO
BE OKAY.
MEANING IT IS OKAY TO SEEK HELP.
WE HAVE STIGMATIZED MENTAL
ILLNESS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT
ALL OF US STRUGGLE WITH ONE
THING OR ANOTHER AND THAT IT'S
NOT HUMAN NATURE TO BE EXPOSED
TO SOMETHING THAT IS TRAUMATIC
AND THAT EFL WILL LEVEL OF EVIL AND FEEL
YOU CAN GO ON WITHOUT ANY LEVEL
OF SUPPORT.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERY
COMMUNITY TO TAKE MENTAL HEALTH
SERIOUSLY.
>> REGGIE MOORE FROM