It's really hard to believe that Lansing, Michigan has experienced a record 36 homicides in 2021.

In my opinion, this is completely out of control and something needs to be done about the growing homicides.

Nine teens were charged with murder in the past year. When I was in school back in the '70s, you rarely heard of any school shootings or for that matter, any teen homicides.

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But I do remember a fatal shooting that took place back in 1978 at Everett High School in Lansing.

I graduated from Everett in 1974 and I remember a fatal school shooting four years after I graduated.

According to bridgemi.com:

In the crowded hallway, Needham pulled out a Luger-style .22-caliber pistol and fired, grazing the scalp of a classmate, Kevin Jones, 16. Jones ducked as Needham fired a second time; this time the bullet struck 15-year-old Bill Draher in the jaw. Needham then fired once more at Draher’s head.

Sounds horrific and yet that fatal shooting back in 1978 should never have happened, but unfortunately it did.

Fast forward to 2022 and things have escalated with way too many Lansing area homicides. There is no gun control in the Lansing area. For that matter, anywhere.

Take a look at what was in the Lansing State Journal:

“Just seeing what happens in a year – not even [kids] going to prison, but being lost to the influence or the lifestyle of the streets," James said. “You got kids that don’t care about living or dying. ... It’s a very dangerous situation as well when they’re so depressed that they will say things or do things that will intrigue somebody or another hurt person to hurt them.”

Even knowing this information really changes how you look at the overall picture in the Lansing area. Something major needs to be done, we do know that much.

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