Milwaukee gun violence summit hopes to prevent tragedies

Gun violence summit aims to prevent tragedies

Milwaukee leaders and impacted families came together Wednesday for the 2025 Emergency Gun Violence Summit.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee leaders and impacted families came together Wednesday for the 2025 Emergency Gun Violence Summit. Organizers called it the largest summit in the nation with a focus on raising awareness about gun violence.

Father's story

What they're saying:

One family said they are using their son's story to help prevent tragedies. It's been more than two years, but Frank Cimorelli remembers it all too well.

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"His fate was sealed, it really was, when they gave him the gun," he said.

Cimorelli's son, Camden, took his own life in January 2023. He said he struggled with his mental health for nearly 10 years and got help – but not enough.

Frank Cimorelli's son, Camden

"It was hard. He was in-and-out of the hospital," he said. "Everyone knew, doctors were aware, and still there was nothing – you know, nothing – nobody did anything. And it was allowed to happen.

"There was nothing put in his way to slow it down, what was eventually going to happen. He should've never been allowed to purchase a gun."

Free sessions

Local perspective:

More than 30 advocacy groups came together for the free summit offering sessions on topics like community violence interruption and responsible gun ownership.

"Here today, we're convening the top experts from across the country," said Forward Latino's Darryl Morin, "sharing what we can to make sure that we cut down on gun violence here in not just Milwaukee but the whole state of Wisconsin."

2025 Emergency Gun Violence Summit in Milwaukee

"I want these folks to take away the urgency that all of us see, so that we preserve more life, and people don't end up losing their lives to gun violence," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

Gov. Tony Evers was among those in attendance Wednesday.

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"Keeping our kids, families, schools and community safe by reducing crime and gun violence should be a top priority," he said.

Everytown For Gun Safety said Wisconsin sees an average of 741 deaths by guns every year; of those, 64% are suicides. Cimorelli hopes his son's story – and events like the Emergency Gun Violence Summit – help those numbers go down.

"I'm trying to just share his story as a warning to try and help maybe one other dad not have to look in the eyes of his son, you know, after he attempts suicide," he said.