Milwaukee's Youth Council to send resolution on gun policy to the Common Council

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A group of young people in Milwaukee is trying to push city officials to stop school shootings across the country.

The city’s Youth Council met Wednesday night to brainstorm ideas about how school shootings can be stopped, and they plan on drafting a resolution that will be sent to the Common Council.

This previously scheduled meeting happened on the same day as Milwaukee Police found a BB gun at Rufus King International Middle School.

16-year-old Youth Council member Joya Headly says this is an example of why changes need to be made to gun control policies.

"I kind of took it to heart,” Headly said. “It makes us feel unsafe in our own city and I feel like as people in Milwaukee, people everywhere, should feel safe wherever we go, in our school and our neighborhood, our."

Isaac Hoeschen, another member of the Youth Council, says youth voices should be a big part of this conversation.

"We have a responsibility to do the same and join our fellow youth and take this opportunity to really influence the policy on gun control,” Hoeschen said.

Milwaukee's City Clerk Jim Owczarski oversees the group and says while they may be young, this group can have a big influence.

"…going to Common Council and working with them to influence where the common Council can influence,” Owczarski said. “Common Council sends legislation all the time to the state, to the federal government saying please work with us on this."

One of the group's initiatives is to try and raise the age to buy a gun to 21 years old.

"As someone that's 17 years old, I can't look at a single person in my grade or in my school that should legally be allowed to buy a gun,” Hoeschen said.

These teens are hoping for one thing and that is to be listened to in the conversation.

"This movement has been about forcing adults to pay attention and for what we believe to be painfully obvious by putting that resolution out there, we might be able to do just that,” Hoeschen said.

The group will present their resolution on March 14th and then send it to the common council.