Editorial: The outrageous murder of another Milwaukee child, Justin Evans

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"He was energetic. He was full of joy, positive energy," Dakota Jones said of her nephew Justin Evans Jr. "He was an innocent kid." He loved to read and dance. He was a great big brother to two younger siblings. He was 6.

Justin was shot and killed in his grandmother's yard Saturday evening as he was about to leave on a fishing trip with his stepfather. No family should have to go through what Justin's family is going through right now.

But the blind, callous violence that took Justin's life is all too frequent in some Milwaukee neighborhoods. The gun violence that ended his life before it even had a chance to begin is far too frequent across the United States. The disregard for the value of human life is far too common across society.

Sunday afternoon, dozens of community activists, city leaders and friends and family gathered to mourn the loss of Justin and call for an end to gun violence in Milwaukee. Their pain and loss punctuated the call, which should echo throughout the region.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told the mourners that faith and community leaders to join together to help curb gun violence. Ald. Ashanti Hamilton said people in neighborhoods across the city will need to unite in order to make a difference. Police Chief Edward Flynn described the shooting of Justin as "intolerable" a "devastating loss."

They're all right. But we have been here before. Since 2012, 10 children have been killed by gunfire in Milwaukee, Flynn said. In 2014, the city saw the loss of three children 10 or younger in seven months.

Sierra Guyton, 10, was playing on a school playground when she was hit by a bullet in May. Laylah Petersen, 5, was sitting on her grandfather's lap when she was struck by bullets from outside the house. Bill Thao was standing on a stool near a table with other children and adults when the home he was visiting was riddled by dozens of bullets. And Justin was about to go fishing. These are not dangerous activities; they're the normal activities of children leading normal lives.

And while Justin is the city's youngest homicide victim this year, he is one of four under 17. And in the week leading up to Justin's murder, two girls, ages 7 and 9, were wounded in a shooting that also injured two men.

We can debate why the callous disregard for life. We can debate the fact that there are too many guns in the hands of the wrong people. We can debate police department strategy. We can debate why this is happening in too many communities across the country. We can debate how we address poverty and joblessness and hopelessness, because they are all factors in the violence. And we can mourn the loss of innocents.

We should do all those things. But we also need outrage. We need outrage from citizens and leaders. We need to be unified in our belief that such violence won't be tolerated, as Barrett and Hamilton said. We need neighbors to be watchful and to step up and testify against the violent ones in their communities; we need police and the courts to bring the culprits to justice.

We need the courage to end this.