LANSING, Mich — Residents near Chestnut and Hillsdale streets in Lansing are still healing after a mass shooting about a month ago injured 6 people. Now, two community groups are taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to prevent more violence as summer approaches.
Advance Peace and Hood 2 Hood set up a BBQ near Chestnut and Hillsdale Wednesday afternoon as part of a planned series of community engagement events throughout the summer.
Dan Boggan with Advance Peace said the goal is to build trust and connect residents with resources.
"Just doing some community engagement, just getting some people accustomed to seeing us, letting them know if you need us we here and can also get them some resources," Boggan said.
The groups plan to host BBQs throughout the summer because that is when gun violence typically peaks. Lansing police say last year between June and August, there were 17 non-fatal shootings and 3 fatal. Boggan said he hopes to improve those numbers.
"Our goal is to make sure we do our best to reduce that, and we hope we have none this," Boggan said.
21-year-old Jack Reid has lived in the area for a few years and said change is needed.
"A lot people not really thinking, they are thinking about the bigger picture, they rather just do stupid stuff," Reid said.
Reid said he supports the community-building effort.
Residents who attended Wednesday's BBQ expressed gratitude for the outreach.
"I feel like its good because its really helping out the community," Reid said.
"That was bad that it happened and I feel like it should have never happened over here," another resident said of the shooting.
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