Local advocacy group responds to public health threat from gun violence

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – As firearms have now become the leading cause of death for children, the U.S. Surgeon General has declared gun violence a public health crisis in the country. US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory Tuesday showing that more than half of American adults report that they or a family member have experienced a firearm-related incident.

Locally, Lansing 360 and its founder, Mike Lynn, are working to end the crisis. Lynn said he has wanted gun violence to be classified as a public health threat for some time.

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck scenario and situation to resolve,” Lynn said.

Lynn is acutely aware of the impact of gun violence on his community. He spoke not only about the physical toll it takes on victims, but also the mental toll, especially on young people.

“These children are forever traumatized by this process, and then we end up not having enough mental health resources to accommodate them,” Lynn said.

In the Surgeon General’s announcement, he also emphasized that the impact on youth is a top priority in this crisis.

“My hope is that if we understand this as a children’s problem, we will put it on the priority list and see it not as a political issue, but as a public health issue that affects us all,” says Dr. Murthy said.

The forty-page report by Dr. Murthy includes claimed solutions to gun violence, including research investments, risk reduction, education and statistics, such as how just under 80 percent of adults are concerned about the possibility of a mass shooting.

Lynn said he could relate to that.

“Every time you hear gunshots or something happening, you check the locations of family members, you call people. It’s just a constant,” Lynn said.

Lynn said that Lansing 360 is working 24 hours a day on ways to end the crisis. He reminds people that this is a 24/7 problem.

“Marches with gun violence are great. They’re good for raising awareness, but the real work happens in between. It’s fine to go to these marches, but if we don’t do any work,” Lynn said.

According to him, the crisis could have consequences for the younger generations, consequences that we cannot yet see.

“It will change the way they parent, it will change how they move through their own community. This is something that is very difficult to put into numbers, like how impactful this has been,” said Lynn.

Lansing 360 meets every Wednesday.

6 News reached out to multiple gun rights groups in Michigan and the state Department of Health and Human Resources for comment on the Surgeon General’s statement, but did not hear back.