Author: Sam Buisman

The Dane County Executive Board promises to bolster its existing community outreach programs as the first step in curbing the county's scourge of gun violence. 

According to Channel3000, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi told reporters on Monday that the board plans to hire a new staff member for its neighborhood intervention program and shore up its mental health support programs to counter the rising gun violence in the county. Parisi's announcement comes in the wake of the death of Anisa Scott, an 11-year-old girl who taken off of life support on Thursday after being shot in a crossfire on the isthmus. 

Speaking to Channel3000, Parisi referenced Scott's death in describing the necessity of local gun control.

“An 11-year-old girl needlessly lost her life due to this violence,” said Parisi. “We need a very multi-tiered approach. We need to be doing our prevention work at the county, we need our state and federal workers to help us with resources and with looking at the availability of guns.” 

Between January and mid-August, there has been an 88% increase in shot fired incidents in Madison compared to the same period last year. 

Madison officials across city government have called for programs to reduce the city's gun violence and for citizens to act responsibly with their firearms.