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http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/12983402.html
Milwaukee police seized more than 2,700 guns in 2007, an increase of nearly 10% from 2006, and officials vowed Wednesday to take even more illegal guns off the city's streets in 2008.
"We will be more aggressive," Mayor Tom Barrett said. "That's our new year's resolution."
Barrett spoke at a news conference at the Police Administration Building, joined by Acting Police Chief Dale Schunk and Lt. Aaron Raap of the department's Intelligence Division. They said 2,733 guns were seized in 2007, up from 2,490 in 2006.
Final figures for nonfatal shootings still were being compiled Wednesday, but the Police Department noted in December that such shootings were down about 21% from 2006. But homicides increased slightly, from 103 in 2006 to 105 for 2007, with most caused by gunfire.
To illustrate the gun-seizure efforts, officials showed the fruits of a search Wednesday when police arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of dealing drugs out of a home in the 2700 block of N. 46th St. They confiscated marijuana, cocaine, cash and three guns - a semiautomatic rifle and two semiautomatic handguns, a .25-caliber and .40-caliber.
The home was occupied by the man's wife and four children younger than 7. Raap said police found one handgun on the floor in a bag, the other on a shelf and the rifle hanging on a hook in a closet.
Police said the case shows the department's work to stem violent crime that often originates from the drug trade and the illegal possession of firearms. But Raap said the man in Wednesday's case did not have a felony record and at least one of the guns might have been purchased legally.
He said investigators are reviewing whether any of the guns might be linked to crimes.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/12983402.html
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police are cranking up the heat when it comes to getting illegal guns and drugs off the streets.
Early Wednesday morning, they raided a home with children, and found drugs and an assault rifle.
The suspect is a 29-year-old man and the four children inside the home are his. Police say he had no criminal record until now.
Milwaukee police busted the door of the alleged drug house near 46th and Center Wednesday morning. Inside, they found drugs, money and guns, including an assault riffle. They also found four young children ranging in age from 6 years to 2 months old.
“There's drugs and guns within reach of children. Children can ingest the drugs, children can grab the guns and they can shoot themselves or others,” Aaron Raap of MPD said.
MPD is cranking up the heat to get illegal guns off the streets. In 2006 MPD took nearly 2,500 illegal guns off the streets. In 2007, they got more than 2,700 guns.
Wednesday’s raid is the first of the year and an example of what's out there. Many neighbors said they had no clue all this was going on right next door.
“I don't want to see guns in the neighborhood. I don't want anybody to get hurt, you know, with the kids running around and stuff. It's very surprising,” Helen Ezeokee said.
TODAY’S TMJ4’s Melanie Stout spoke to a relative of the suspect. She said he had a day job and claims she was unaware of any illegal activity inside the home.
“He's a good man. He's a good man,” Margaret Smith, the suspect’s mother-in-law said.
TODAY’S TMJ4’s Melanie Stout: “Police are saying he had guns and drugs around the kids.”
“Well I don't know. I have no comment,” Smith said.
Milwaukee police got a tip that the suspect was armed and dealing drugs out of the house.
They say without the communities help it would be nearly impossible to find where these guns are or where they are coming from.
“This is just a preview of what we're gonna see the rest of the year. We are going to be aggressive, we are going after illegal guns, we're going after the illegal drugs because we are going to make the streets of Milwaukee safer,” Mayor Tom Barrett said.
Police are looking to see if the guns they got Wednesday are connected to any other crimes in the city.
That could lead to more busts and arrests.
Milwaukee police seized 2,733 guns last year, nearly 10 percent more than the year before, Mayor Tom Barrett announced Wednesday.
Police seized 2,490 guns in 2006.
Barrett said the city will continue its crackdown on guns in 2008.
"We will be more aggressive," he said. "That's our new year's resolution."
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/12983402.html
Milwaukee police seized more than 2,700 guns in 2007, an increase of nearly 10% from 2006, and officials vowed Wednesday to take even more illegal guns off the city's streets in 2008.
"We will be more aggressive," Mayor Tom Barrett said. "That's our new year's resolution."
Barrett spoke at a news conference at the Police Administration Building, joined by Acting Police Chief Dale Schunk and Lt. Aaron Raap of the department's Intelligence Division. They said 2,733 guns were seized in 2007, up from 2,490 in 2006.
Final figures for nonfatal shootings still were being compiled Wednesday, but the Police Department noted in December that such shootings were down about 21% from 2006. But homicides increased slightly, from 103 in 2006 to 105 for 2007, with most caused by gunfire.
To illustrate the gun-seizure efforts, officials showed the fruits of a search Wednesday when police arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of dealing drugs out of a home in the 2700 block of N. 46th St. They confiscated marijuana, cocaine, cash and three guns - a semiautomatic rifle and two semiautomatic handguns, a .25-caliber and .40-caliber.
The home was occupied by the man's wife and four children younger than 7. Raap said police found one handgun on the floor in a bag, the other on a shelf and the rifle hanging on a hook in a closet.
Police said the case shows the department's work to stem violent crime that often originates from the drug trade and the illegal possession of firearms. But Raap said the man in Wednesday's case did not have a felony record and at least one of the guns might have been purchased legally.
He said investigators are reviewing whether any of the guns might be linked to crimes.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/12983402.html
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police are cranking up the heat when it comes to getting illegal guns and drugs off the streets.
Early Wednesday morning, they raided a home with children, and found drugs and an assault rifle.
The suspect is a 29-year-old man and the four children inside the home are his. Police say he had no criminal record until now.
Milwaukee police busted the door of the alleged drug house near 46th and Center Wednesday morning. Inside, they found drugs, money and guns, including an assault riffle. They also found four young children ranging in age from 6 years to 2 months old.
“There's drugs and guns within reach of children. Children can ingest the drugs, children can grab the guns and they can shoot themselves or others,” Aaron Raap of MPD said.
MPD is cranking up the heat to get illegal guns off the streets. In 2006 MPD took nearly 2,500 illegal guns off the streets. In 2007, they got more than 2,700 guns.
Wednesday’s raid is the first of the year and an example of what's out there. Many neighbors said they had no clue all this was going on right next door.
“I don't want to see guns in the neighborhood. I don't want anybody to get hurt, you know, with the kids running around and stuff. It's very surprising,” Helen Ezeokee said.
TODAY’S TMJ4’s Melanie Stout spoke to a relative of the suspect. She said he had a day job and claims she was unaware of any illegal activity inside the home.
“He's a good man. He's a good man,” Margaret Smith, the suspect’s mother-in-law said.
TODAY’S TMJ4’s Melanie Stout: “Police are saying he had guns and drugs around the kids.”
“Well I don't know. I have no comment,” Smith said.
Milwaukee police got a tip that the suspect was armed and dealing drugs out of the house.
They say without the communities help it would be nearly impossible to find where these guns are or where they are coming from.
“This is just a preview of what we're gonna see the rest of the year. We are going to be aggressive, we are going after illegal guns, we're going after the illegal drugs because we are going to make the streets of Milwaukee safer,” Mayor Tom Barrett said.
Police are looking to see if the guns they got Wednesday are connected to any other crimes in the city.
That could lead to more busts and arrests.
Milwaukee police seized 2,733 guns last year, nearly 10 percent more than the year before, Mayor Tom Barrett announced Wednesday.
Police seized 2,490 guns in 2006.
Barrett said the city will continue its crackdown on guns in 2008.
"We will be more aggressive," he said. "That's our new year's resolution."