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'Violence interrupters' believe they are making positive difference [1]

['Adrienne Pedersen', 'Https', 'Www.Facebook.Com Adriennetv', 'Anchor Reporter']

Date: 2022-06-07 00:21:00+00:00

Goal of interrupters is to be immersed in community so people feel comfortable reaching out for advice

>> WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS STOP PEOPLE FROM KILLING EACH OTHER. REPORT:ER RAY MENDOZA KNOWS HIS MISSION AS AN INTERRUPTER. STOPPING FIGHTS BEFORE THEY ESCALATEO TTHIS. >> STOPPING THESE YOUNG PEOEPL FROM RUINING THEIR LIVES AND ENDING UP IN PLACES LIKE I WAS. REPORTER: THE GOAL OF THE INTERRUPTERS IS TO BE IMMERSED IN THE COMMUNITY, SO THAT PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE REACHING OUT FOR ADVICE BEFORE ANRG AUMENT BECOMES A SHOOTING. WHY DO PEOPLE TRUST YOU TO RCHEA OUT TO YOU FOR HELP? >> THE THINGS THAT THEY’RE DOING NOW ARE THE THINGS THAT I DID WHEN I WAS YOU.NG WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WAS WITH THE GANG BANGING AND DRUG DEALING, SHOOTGIN PEOPLE, GETTING SHOT AT. I DID 17 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON. REPORTER: WE FIRST INTRODUCED YOU TO THE INTERRUPTERS IN THE SUMMER OF 2019. >> WE BUILD BRIDGES. WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. REPORTER: REGGIE MOORE IS THE DIRECTOR OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE INRYJU CENTER AT THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN. HE IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE OVER SEEING THE INTERRUPTERS. ARE YOU SUCCESSFUL RIGHT NOW? >> I BELIEVE WE ARE. WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND AT THE BOX ARENA, THERE WERE NO SHOOTINGS. THE PROGRAM CAN DO WHAT IT IS FUNDED TO DO AND IT IS DOING THAT. REPORTER: 414 LIFE HAS FUNDING TO FOCUSN OTWO PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOODS. OLD NORTH MILWAUKEE AND WALKERS POIN HOMICIDES IN OLD NORTH MILWAUKEE ARE DOWN 50% YEAR TO DATE IN 2022 COMPARED TO 2021 AND DOWN -- AND IN WALKERS POINT ARE DOWN 100% YEAR TO DATE 2022 COMPARED TO 2021. FOR RAY MENDOZA, IT BOS WNDOIL TO THIS. >> IF WE CAN STOP ONE PE AON DAY DOING SOMETHING NEGATIVE AND ENDING UP IN THE GRAVEYARD, THAN WE DID OUR JOB. REPO

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Over the past two years, homicides are up 43% in the city of Milwaukee, but one group says it is making a positive difference."What we're trying to do is stop people from killing each other," said Ray Mendoza, a violence interrupter.Mendoza knows his mission as an interrupter."What we're trying to do is stop these young people from ruining their lives and ending up like I was," Mendoza said.The goal of the interrupters is to be immersed in the community so that people feel comfortable reaching out for advice before an argument becomes a shooting."The things that they're doing now are the things that I did when I was young — the gangbanging and drug dealing, shooting people, getting shot at. I did 17 years in federal prison," Mendoza said.WISN 12 News first introduced you to the interrupters in the summer of 2019.Reggie Moore is the director of Violence Prevention Policy and Engagement for the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin.He's one of the managers overseeing the interrupters."Are you being successful right now?" Adrienne Pedersen asked."I believe we are. I believe we are," Moore said.The group 414 Life has funding to focus on two priority neighborhoods: Old North Milwaukee and Walker's Point.Homicides in Old North Milwaukee are down 50% year to date in 2022 compared to 2021 and down 75% compared to 2020.In Walker's Point, they are down 100% year to date 2022 compared to the year to date 2021."If we can stop one person a day from doing something negative from ending up in the penitentiary or the graveyard. if we can stop one person, we did our job," Mendoza said.Related: Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention

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[1] Url: https://www.wisn.com/article/violence-interrupters-believe-they-are-making-positive-difference/40207820

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