'Wear Orange Weekend:' Milwaukee gun violence prevention efforts

'Wear Orange Weekend' in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Mayor Johnson issued a proclamation recognizing National Gun Violence Awareness Day, part of "Wear Orange Weekend."

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson issued a proclamation recognizing National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Saturday, part of "Wear Orange Weekend" and National Gun Violence Awareness Month.

Johnson said local organizations have distributed hundreds of gun locks across the city and shared safety information with residents this weekend. He also said the city is offering free youth programming all summer through its "Hello Summer" initiative.

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"Change is something that all of us can accomplish together, each and every single one of us," he said, "if we come together, if we stand behind a common cause to reduce gun violence and make sure that people who should not have their hands on guns in the first place, don't get the chance to do it."

"Wear Orange Weekend" began as a tribute to a teen who was shot and killed in Chicago. It has now become a recognized movement to reduce gun violence nationwide.

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Gun violence in Milwaukee costs taxpayers millions; what we learned

Gun violence is costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

By the numbers:

The most recently available Milwaukee Police Department crime data shows, as of June 5, there have been 205 non-fatal shootings in the city this year – a 15% drop compared to the same point in 2024 and a 39% drop compared to 2023. While the city tracks homicides overall, it does not track fatal shootings, specifically, on its dashboard. 

Those statistics do not include a violent stretch that began Friday afternoon and continued into Saturday morning. Milwaukee police responded to at least four shootings that left two people dead and seven others wounded. Two shootings happened minutes apart on Hampton Avenue.