'I know the pain': Milwaukee mom opens up about son's unsolved murder on National Gun Violence Awareness Day

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Friday, June 7 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day and in the past week, at least two kids and a teen were shot in Milwaukee -- two of those incidents were deadly.

Dr. Michael Levas is the medical director of Project Ujima, a community program that helps victims of violence and offers free services at Children's Wisconsin providing physical and mental health support.

He told CBS 58 News to stop the cycle of violence, one must be able to talk about the reality of firearms in our everyday lives.

"The number one killer of kids ages 1 to 17 in Milwaukee, in Wisconsin, and in the country, is death from a firearm injury," he said. "It kills more kids than cancer in that age group, it kills more kids than asthma in that age group, it kills more kids than car crashes."

Brenda Hines opened up to CBS 58 News about the loss of her then 23-year-old son, Donovan Hines.

"I used to get up to the yellow tape and tell the families that everything was going to be OK," Hines shared.

Since 2015, Hines has been a chaplain with the Salvation Army in partnership with the Milwaukee Police Department, helping families in crisis.

"And then on November 13, 2017, I became a victim of violence," she said. "I lost my 23-year-old son."

Hines still recalls the last time she ever saw her second oldest son.

"It was a lovely day, around seven or eight o' clock, I didn't know he had left out because his girlfriend was there...he was driving a friend's car on 29th and Hampton," Hines said. "All I know is he was driving, and his car got shot up 14 times."

Six months after Donovan's death, Brenda Hines said she decided to buy a gun and learn how to use it.

"You will see me possibly with two guns because we don't know who done this to my son, we don't know if they're coming back after us or not, we don't know if he'd done something or what," she added.

It's been seven years and to this day, she still has no answers. His case remains an open investigation with no arrests made or charges filed in connection to the homicide.

"I used to call every month on the 13th, for about two years, every month on the 13 I would call down there," Hines said with teary eyes.

In 2019 she started the 'Donovan Hines Foundation of Exuberance' nonprofit to help others heal.

"I know the pain; I may not have the same story they have but I can relate to the pain that they're having," she said.

While she acknowledges that she carries guns for her own safety, she tells us she wants to see overall change in our community.

"Talk about it, think before you take a life, that's something that you can't get back," Hines said.

Dr. Levas said it's important to educate the public about guns instead of hiding the fact that it's a topic that's become prominent in American culture.

"We do need to talk about it, we do need to have engagement form all sectors, we do need to have family and parent engagement, you know, we're not going to resolve this in little pockets," he said. "Assume all firearms are loaded, we should be teaching our kids that, we should be teaching our kids to stay away from them."

To get information about violence prevention, call: 414-266-2557.