Schweber, thanks for your time today.
>> Thank you. >> City leaders in Milwaukee
have new ammunition in their efforts to lower gun violence. A
Milwaukee mom who is a gun owner is one of many people taking
advantage of the free resources from the city and a gun store.
“Here& Now” reporter Murv Seymour shows us how education
is being used as a weapon to lower violence from guns. A word
of warning this story contains sounds of loud gunfire.
>> Today, one of our officers was shot in the line of duty.
>> On the front line to protect people from gun violence and
from the scene of a recent shooting.
>> The suspect, unidentified male, sustained fatal gunshots.
>> Milwaukee's top cop and mayor have a message for the city
about its problems with gun violence.
>> Using a firearm to bring violence into our community.
Absolutely unacceptable. >> According to ShotSpotter, the
detection system Milwaukee police uses to track when
gunshots are fired in the city. Over 11,000 rang out in
Milwaukee neighborhoods in 2024. The amount of violent and deadly
shootings is slightly down, but the numbers are too high, says
Chief Norman. >> I come from a very close knit
family. >> Meet Antonia Perry.
>> My faith is very high in the Lord. Like I hear him talk to
me. >> A single mom raising two
boys. Antonia is all about family. She lives in what she
describes as a pretty nice community, but.
>> It's very triggering. >> A closer look reveals subtle
signs that living here can be tough.
>> We hear gunshots every night. >> Some nights, ShotSpotter
lights up as gunshots echo through the neighborhood.
>> They they are over there on 39th. Up. That sound like
Sherman? They might be in the alley across the street. Like we
can hear. Like where it's coming from. It puts me in a dark place
to hear all that shooting. >> A dark place. Because Antonia
knows about gun violence. She and one of her sons are
survivors of reckless gun violence.
>> Just from hearing the shots, I've thought I've been shot
again. >> A longtime gun owner with a
concealed carry license. Antonia keeps her weapons safely stored
and locked away from her kids. >> He broke into my house and
took the gun. >> So she thought.
>> That's when he went in the alley, shooting it with his.
With his cousin. >> Two weeks before this
interview, her then 14 year old son leaves a shelter meant to
give parents and kids a break from each other during difficult
times. He comes to this alley behind their home and fires the
gun. It's the second time in two years he's taken her weapon
>> They emptied the gun and had about 1111 shots. Nobody was
hurt. Thank God. >> I know when you get scared, I
get scared. >> The two boys videotaped the
entire thing. >> On a video. You see both of
them shooting a gun. My worst fear was actually burying him.
Having to bury him. Because he could have killed himself. He
could have hurt somebody else. >> Antonia. Fears didn't end
there. >> I couldn't find my firearm. I
checked him, it wasn't on his body, but he wouldn't tell me
where it was. But then he still proceeded to go to the school
I couldn't have him go to the school until I knew I had my
firearm. They checked the premises and they didn't find
it. >> Grieving, desperate and torn
in the spirit of tough love, Antonia makes a gut wrenching
decision. >> Took him to the police
station and I showed them the video and they arrested him. I
feel horrible, like I'm the mom. This is my baby. This is my son,
and I'm turning him into the police.
>> Emotionally broken, she turns to her faith.
>> I let one of the pastors at the church know my story, and he
got me connected with a guy named Quinn.
>> Quinn Taylor works for the City of Milwaukee's Office of
Community Safety and Wellness. He's also a member of Evolve
Church. >> An Narcan is for individuals
that might be suffering from overdose.
>> From what's called the Community resource table. Quinn
explains how resources on this table help connect the community
with city resources. The city offers gun safety help for
families who live in Milwaukee neighborhoods, coping with the
most gun violence and the furious prevention resources.
>> Prolific Armstrong speaking. Yes, absolutely. We should be
able to do that for you. >> In one of its new programs,
the city partners with prolific arms.
>> We have a bunch of different weapons.
>> A gun store in nearby West Allis that does a lot more than
sell guns. >> We're educators that just
happen to sell guns. >> Owners Theron Rodgers and
Eddie Silas are unique gun store owners.
>> Out of 6000 gun stores in the United States, there's only 15
being Black owned. >> And in Wisconsin.
>> As we know of, it's only two. The mission is to educate as
many people as possible. The city of Milwaukee said, hey, we
want to do something about gun violence. The solution is
education. And also resources. People think these bullets just
go out of space. No, they do not. Right. They go up and come
down with enough force to kill somebody.
>> According to the Milwaukee Police Department, almost 60% of
guns stolen throughout the city are taken from one place. Your
vehicle. Criminals are constantly weaving through
crowded public parking lots at bars, restaurants, sporting
events, hospitals, city buildings, pretty much anywhere
you have your vehicle and your weapon unattended. City
officials are fighting back and they say you can too, with
education and one simple tool. >> These right here are lock
boxes sponsored by the City of Milwaukee Office of Wellness and
Safety. In its partnership, the city provides free gun storage,
lock cases and prolific arms, gives them out, and installs
them for anyone who takes their concealed carry. Firearm safety
class at Evolve Church. >> We've been able to train 150
members of the community in firearm education since the
start of the year. >> And it sounds like you did
have a safe and have it locked away.
>> We set in as the team at Prolific Arms set aim towards
helping Antonia Perry. >> What do you think you could
have done better? >> It's a free one hour firearms
safety assessment available to any gun owner who wants it.
>> This here is snap safe lock box. You get two keys. We're
going to be able to give out 750 of these. So you're going to be
one of the recipients of that. >> The House call goes over
things like how many weapons are in the.
>> Home. >> How and where is it stored,
how many kids live in the house, and what's the plan? If you have
to reach for your weapon? >> You know, someone's in my
house. What do you do? Do you have a designated meeting place
in case of an emergency? >> If you are possessing a
firearm in your house, it shouldn't be a secret to those
who's living there. >> But it's vitally important
that not only us, our youth, get access to the education piece.
>> I also learned to educate the kids and not hide it from them.
Let them know that it is there and how dangerous it is. If
something was to happen. If they ran around with a gun.
>> We care about this because this is our community. We grew
up here, our family's here. The people that we love our friends
we we've taken a lot of losses. >> Back at Evolve Church Steps
from its community table inside their teen room.
>> If you're relying on a safety for your safety, that's a bad
decision. You need to be your safety.
>> Antonia Perry. Her two boys and almost 50 inner city gun
owners gather for this Saturday. Firearm safety course.
>> We teach everything from safe handling, proper storage.
>> If this weapon unintentionally goes off, that
round is going to go through the floor.
>> For a small fee in four hours of time. Some receive their
concealed carry permit. Others, like Antonia, refreshed
themselves while educating their kids about gun safety.
>> You have mothers. You have fathers, you have even kids. You
have everything that represents a community in this training.
>> Practicing proper firearm storage.
>> Participants also take part in what's called the Prolific
pledge. >> The prolific pledge is a us
getting the community to commit to the goal of safe firearm
ownership and education. >> 11 miles from her house,
Antonia continues her education. >> So go ahead and slowly
squeeze the trigger. >> With firearm safety expert
Eddie Silas at her side. She prepares to do something she's
never done as a 17 year long gun.
>> Owner. >> Fire her weapon.
>> Your feet can either be a shoulder length apart, slight
bend on your knees. >> I've never had that. That
chance to do that. Because I'm always in the house being the
mother. I'm working. I'm going to school, I'm cooking, I'm
cleaning. I'm taking care of the kids.
>> Before she pulls the trigger, Eddie provides a 20 minute hands
on refresher on firing weapons. >> So now you're going to grab
the magazine, insert it finger off the trigger. You want to
choke up a little bit more if you can. Everything looks good.
I'm ready to get out on the range.
>> Working out of stall for the sound and power of gunfire
almost instantly startles Antonia.
>> Who? >> You see her shake? A lot of
people in our community are walking around with PTSD and
they don't know it. She almost turned around and walked out of
there. >> For me, it felt like it was
going through my body, and I don't know if it's because I've
already been shot before. >> At times with shell casings
flying everywhere. Eddie has to stop and calm Antonio's nerves.
>> I don't see, I see you shaking. Put it down. Okay. Take
a deep breath. >> Eventually, Antonia does
collect her poise. >> An intruder can be in your
house right now. Your kids can be screaming.
>> It took a minute to, like, get my stance and tune out the
shooting, but once my coach gave me some pointers, I was able to,
you know, feel more comfortable with shooting. Shooting the gun.
>> It's brave. She's absolutely brave.
>> Within a few days of partnering with the city of
Milwaukee, owners of a gun store in her church, Antonia Perry
becomes a more educated gun owner and mom.
>> We need more mothers just like her. She probably saved his
life and she doesn't even know it.
>> I believe that all of this is for a reason, and we're going to
be all right. We're going to be all right.
>> Reporting from Milwaukee. I'm >> Reporting from Milwaukee. I'm