KALAMAZOO, Michigan — Kalamazoo is grappling with a health crisis that has claimed many lives and many people still dealing with the effects of gun violence. This year, progress is being made.

Rick Omilian remembers a day that changed his family forever. “He was very controlling and wouldn’t accept the end of the relationship that she thought she had finally settled,” he said.

On October 18, 1999, her daughter Maggie Wardle, a sophomore at Kalamazoo College, was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend, who subsequently committed suicide.

“The first thing I think of in the morning is Maggie, (and she is) the last thing I think of before I go to bed,” said Martha Omilian, Maggie’s mother.

According to Chief David Juday, gun violence increased nationwide during the pandemic. In 2021, the Kalamazoo City Commission declared gun violence a public health crisis.

“I think it’s because of the resources available and because some of the social services available have kind of had to come to a halt,” Juday told FOX 17.

By the end of 2023, Kalamazoo reached a grim milestone with a total of 22 murders, 15 of which were caused by gun violence.

“From January 1 to today, there have been 42 non-fatal shootings and 15 murders,” Juday reported.

Despite the grim statistics, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety has implemented twelve different strategies to reduce gun violence and is making progress.

“One of our key strategies to reduce gun violence is inmate reintegration visits. We want to make sure people are successful when they get out of prison,” Juday said.

So far this year, the city has recorded six murders, five of which were caused by gun violence. “We can celebrate these small victories, but as I said, we have to stay on top of things and continue these efforts on a weekly basis,” he added.

Community members and local organizations have also played a critical role in bringing down the violence. “We’ve found that it’s very important that every single person stays in their space, but there has to be open communication about what’s going on,” Juday told FOX 17.

For Rick and Martha Omilian, a reduction in violence is the only thing they can hope for. “I always thought: what if these groups all came together? Together we are strong, and that is happening now,” says Martha.

Her daughter Maggie, who “just cared so much about other people and people who needed help,” is the catalyst in her family’s fight against gun violence.

“We’ve been trying to combat gun violence ever since, especially in our community, and especially domestic violence and intimate partner violence,” Rick told FOX 17.

“Maggie can’t have died in vain,” said Maggie.

To further reduce gun violence, U.S. Attorney for the Western District Mark Totten launched the Safe Summer 2024 program in Kalamazoo. This initiative began on Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day.

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