Community leaders speak out about kids and guns

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – After two guns were found at two Lansing schools in less than a week. Community leaders are worried.

“It makes you wonder, are we doing enough? Do we need to do more?” said Michael Mckissic, Founder of the Mikey23 Foundation.

Last Thursday, Lansing Police arrested a 12-year-old in connection with a gun found at Dwight Rich School of the Arts.

On Tuesday, a 17-year-old boy was caught with a gun at Everett High School.

Mckissic lost his son to gun violence and doesn’t think sitting behind bars is the answer.

“That system doesn’t work. It didn’t work in the 80’s and it’s not going to work now,” said Mckissic. He adds, ”We need to really look at the back story on why that kid, both the kids, why are you carrying guns? Why did this happen?”

Mckissic said a lot of kids involved with crime don’t have a role model or positive figure to look up to, so to change that he has become a mentor. Although, in order to really see progress, he said it takes a village.

“Everyone needs to play a role in that child’s life,” said Mckissic.

Ingham County graduates play a pivotal role. She started a juvenile weapons court to give kids a second chance.

“This is something where a violent crime has not occurred yet. They have a gun, they have a weapon, and they’ve threatened someone with it. They’ve brought it to school, something has happened, but the act hasn’t happened,” said Judge Aquilina.

Judge Aquilina started the first weapons court in Michigan. A teen can get a felony down to a misdemeanor by rolling up their sleeves and working with Mikey23.

“They have realized that their world doesn’t have to be guns and violence. They do have a future,” said Judge Aquilina.

Judge Aquilina doesn’t know if the kids caught with guns this past week will end up in her courtroom. She said there is a process to get into the weapons court, and it’s not all up to the defendant.

So far, there have been six graduates of the weapons court.

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