414 LIFE
414 LIFE is a violence prevention program that is a program of the City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety and is implemented by MCW. Guided by the understanding that gun violence is a public health issue, the mission of 414 LIFE is to interrupt and reduce retaliatory gun violence using culturally centered disease control and behavior change methods. 414 LIFE team members are trained, credible professionals from the communities they serve. Donate to Support 414 LIFE's Work
Stop shooting, start healing
Our team members work to prevent shooting by:
Engaging community residents and organizations to convey a message that the community does not support gun violence as a norm.
Providing transformative mentoring resources for individuals who are at the highest risk for becoming a shooter or being shot.
Identifying and mediating potentially lethal conflicts.
What We Do
414 LIFE work focuses on the domains of:
Violence Interruption
Using a three-tiered approach, trained violence interrupters de-escalate incidents, mediate ongoing conflicts, and keep conflicts “cool” by following up for as long as is needed to ensure the conflict does not reignite or result in retaliatory gun violence.
Outreach
Using culturally responsive methods, our outreach teams work to identify individuals who are at the greatest risk for being injured by gun violence or being a perpetrator and build relationships with them to ultimately change their behaviors by providing ongoing case management needs through high frequency contact and connection with identified service needs.
Community Engagement
The program team works with stakeholders in the community, including residents, faith-based organizations, and other service providers to change community norms around gun violence by working collaboratively on events and strategic methods to interrupt violence in target areas.
Hospital Response
Working with Froedtert and Ascension St. Joseph, our hospital response team intervenes at the shooting victim’s bedside using conflict resolution tactics, mentoring, and consistent follow up to help shift patients, their families, and friends toward positive ways of thinking about and coping with conflict. Read more about the Hospital Responder team’s work at Froedtert at Froedtert & MCW Hospital-Based Violence Interruption Program.
Where We Are
414 LIFE uses a data-driven approach to identify neighborhoods in Milwaukee with the highest burden of gun violence and focuses their work in those areas. Currently, that involves work in the neighborhoods of Old North Milwaukee and Walker’s Point.
CVI Models: Evidence-Based Violence Intervention Models
414 LIFE's community component employs the Cure Violence model. The Cure Violence model operates with the belief that violence behaves like a contagious disease that is transmitted through exposure to other violence and social processes, lives within humans who operate as a host and vector for transmission, and can be effectively prevented and treated using public health prevention methods. Through community engagement and outreach, the program focuses on changing social norms and behaviors that contribute to violent environments, thereby fostering a culture of nonviolence and community resilience.
414 LIFE's hospital component implements a Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) model. The HVIP model, as recognized by The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), is a multidisciplinary approach that brings together medical professionals and trusted community partners. This collaboration is essential in providing comprehensive support to victims of violence, many of whom are boys and men of color. HVIPs focus on safety planning, trauma-informed care, and a range of services tailored to the unique needs of individuals affected by violence. By addressing the physical and psychological impacts of violence while empowering individuals with resources and support, HVIPs play a critical role in the recovery and reintegration of victims into their communities.
Data
The 414 LIFE program is dedicated to continuous evaluation of their work to ensure that they are reaching the people they are intending to reach in the most effective way possible. To date, a phase I and phase 2 evaluation have been conducted. Evaluations are an iterative, ongoing process, conducted by the CIC's Division of Data Analytics and Informatics in Collaboration with the 414 LIFE team and other stakeholders. More reports will be released in the future.
Phase 1 Evaluation Report
Phase 2 Evaluation Report
Publications
News Stories Featuring 414 LIFE (Since March 2025)
Leaders prepare to update Milwaukee’s Blueprint for Peace violence prevention plan
CIC Director of Community Safety Policy and Engagement Reggie Moore was interviewed talking about the Blueprint for Peace and the creation of 414 LIFE in response to community needs.Read the full story: Leaders prepare to update Milwaukee’s Blueprint for Peace violence prevention plan
Homicides in Milwaukee went down 2 years in a row. Can leaders build on that success?
414 LIFE was featured in this article talking about the importance of community violence interruption organizations in maintaining decreases in Milwaukee homicides.Read the full story: Homicides in Milwaukee went down 2 years in a row. Can leaders build on that success?
Gun violence in Milwaukee costs taxpayers millions; what we learned
In May 2025, the Comprehensive Injury Center presented data on the 414 LIFE program to the Milwaukee Common Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee. CIC Director of Community Safety Policy and Engagement Reggie Moore was interviewed to expand upon the importance of the program and investing in community violence intervention more broadly.Read and watch the full story: Gun violence in Milwaukee costs taxpayers millions; what we learned
The true cost of gun violence in Milwaukee: Survivors face financial and emotional toll
Lynn Lewis, 414 LIFE director was interviewed and 414 LIFE’s work was featured in this story about the full cost of gun violence on victims, their families, and the community.Read and watch the full story: The true cost of gun violence in Milwaukee: Survivors face financial and emotional toll.
Street intervention efforts ramp up amid surge in gun violence
Lynn Lewis, 414 LIFE program director, and Reggie Moore, director of community safety policy and engagement in the CIC, were interviewed about a recent string of shootings in Milwaukee and the importance of 414 LIFE’s continued efforts to prevent violence in Milwaukee.Read the full story: Street intervention efforts ramp up amid surge in gun violence
'It starts at home:’ Neighbors talk solutions to gun violence on Hampton Avenue following deadly week
414 LIFE Outreach Supervisor David Sinclair was interviewed about the importance of community connection and taking a public health approach to preventing gun violence.Read and watch the full story: 'It starts at home:' Neighbors talk solutions to gun violence on Hampton Avenue following deadly week.
Contact 414 LIFE
ThriveOn King
2153 N. Doctor M.L.K., Jr. Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Lisbon Office
4842 W. Lisbon Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53210