WAUWATOSA, WI — A collaboration between Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention and local hospitals could be helping curb the cycle of violence.
The group called "414 Life" is comprised of "violence interrupters" who work in the community to stop violence before it happens.
One of the interrupters works in local hospital emergency rooms to connect with victims of violence and their families.
"The objective is to keep the community safe, we all live here" Tonia Liddell said.
She works with the hospital staff to engage in meaningful conversation with the victims of gun violence.
Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Chief of Trauma Surgery Dr. Marc de Moya, M.D. said, "having well trained community members that serve as interrupters for violence, so that we can prevent the recidivism so we can prevent the retaliation that occurs."
Dr. Moya believes the program has led to 60 interventions since May when the program began.
"If we can break that retaliation piece, that’s really starting to get to that prevention piece" he says.
