LANSING, Mich — Lansing police are searching for the suspect responsible for a mass shooting last Thursday in the area of Hillsdale and Chestnut that left six people injured, including a 5-year-old girl.
"This is a tragedy that things like this happen in our community," one person said.
"It brings tears to your eyes," one person said.
Police were on the scene for hours that night trying to connect the pieces, but the suspect, who police believe is responsible for firing shots into the crowd, is still at large.
"We are looking for the public's help on this," Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus said.
Law enforcement and advocates believe the public's help could be crucial in the investigation. Michael McKissic with the MIKEY 23 Foundation says his group started a campaign about six years ago to help.
"This is our SNITCH program. Strong neighbors, involved together create hope," McKissic said.
The goal of the program is to encourage neighbors to go to law enforcement with any additional information they have surrounding violent incidents.
"People say why would I say anything — I say because it has an effect on people," McKissic said.
"If you see something like that going on, especially a child like the one who was shot in the most recent shooting, you should for sure say something and step forward because this is your community," McKissic said.
For McKissic, this effort is personal. He lost his 23-year-old son, Mikey, to gun violence in 2015, and the case is still unsolved.
When I asked what closure or someone speaking up would have meant to him in his son's death, McKissic was clear.
"It would've meant the world," McKissic said.
McKissic says if someone with information on this latest shooting is hesitant about speaking up, they should know one thing.
"Get involved in your neighborhood because most people say if it doesn't concern me I shouldn't speak up, but you should because gun violence involves all of us," McKissic said.
