KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Public safety officials in Kalamazoo addressed a “disturbing” increase in youth violence on Monday.
It happened at the city commission meeting.
According to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, in the first six months of 2022, kids have committed more crimes with a gun than they did in all of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Data indicates this year’s total will also surpass the record set in 2021.
“It is a disturbing trend and again, it’s impacting the quality of life in our neighborhood,” said Dept. Chief Dave Boysen.
KDPS believes the uptick can be traced back to the pandemic’s impact on youth.
“Not only are we seeing more youths carrying guns, but the type of guns and fire power they are carrying is very disturbing,” said Boysen. “Rifles, rifle pistols, high-capacity magazines, drum magazines; things you would never think would be in the hands of a 14, 15-year-old kid.”
Boysen said most of the kids involved are known to police and associate with groups or gangs that are tied to geographical areas and neighborhoods in which they grew up in.
Police say they often steal legally-purchased weapons from unlocked cars or obtain them illegally.
The department is urging gun owners to utilize safe storage practices.
KDPS notes that as more youth carry guns, more youths become victims of gun violence.
The average age of a shooting victim is 24 years old, although the number is trending downwards.
A 14-year-old was shot earlier this year.
“My heart is broken in that we’re using these guns as teenagers at a very young age,” said Chief Vernon Coakley.
KDPS says it’s engaging with a number of local organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club, to stop violence before it happens.
They encourage parents to be proactive too.
The department has also formed a community policing unit and community service team to help with overall violence reduction.
“We want a better Kalamazoo, we want a safer Kalamazoo,” said Coakley. “What we used to do was cast a wide net and we caught you up in that wide net, the community. In spearfishing, you are intentional about particular fish and we - through our intelligence, our outreach - we find out who we need to spearfish.”
