Milwaukee's Mayor pleaded with people to be part of ending the city's violence after a police officer was shot and killed while reportedly pursuing an armed robbery suspect.
Police say a 19-year-old man shot the officer who shot back. That 19-year-old later died, but it was unclear if it was due to an officer's weapon or if it was self-inflicted.
"We need to get to the bottom of the mindset of young people that are unafraid to die at the risk of you been doing something that they don't have to," said Andre Lee Ellis. "What is the most disturbing is that both the officer and the young man dead have families and they will all have to deal with the news."
Ellis has been well-known for using gardening to mentor young people and inspire them to rise above their troubles.
"Agriculture and gardening is so therapeutic that once they have their hands in the soil, they can keep them off the trigger of a gun," Ellis explained.
They also strive to keep struggling families fed. Ellis knows the root of the violence starts at home if people do not have access to important resources.
At the same time, he explained that telling people to come forward is easier said than done.
"If it was easy and the solution more people would be doing it. I can bet to you that out of the young people, there are thousands that would never pull a gun or that wish that other people wouldn't, and they would go tell on people if they felt more protected," Ellis said.
Ellis believes more community conversations involving police, leaders, and residents would help, even if it includes letting people scream out their anger.
In the meantime, Ellis will keep working to touch hearts.
"Because they're all my sons. They're somebody's sons," Ellis said.
