Lake County’s Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI), established after the 2022 Highland Park shooting, is moving to secure funding and develop sustained programs as it approaches its fifth year. With approximately $1 million funneled through the Waukegan Township to its Peacemakers program, the initiative employs “credible messengers” who leverage local connections to engage at-risk individuals and promote pathways away from violence.
Under the direction of Shawn Lewis, a seasoned violence interruption expert, the Peacemakers have played a crucial role in reducing firearm homicides in the area—from 23 deaths and 102 non-fatal shootings in 2022 to just nine homicides and 38 shootings in 2024. As the organization continues to expand funding sources and innovate strategies, local officials cite significant declines in gun violence linked to such community-based efforts. “We’ve stopped a lot of shootings and killings,” Lewis asserts, underlining the program’s impact and commitment to community safety.
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