Youths Shot at Youth & Family Center

The COA Youth & Family Centers have been "Serving Children, Strengthening Families, Building Community For 100 Years."

That's a noble endeavor.

But last night, the center on Garfield Ave. in Milwaukee was the scene of a double shooting. Not exactly the way to build community.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Two teenagers were shot in a youth agency's parking lot Wednesday night, Milwaukee police said.

An 18-year-old man was shot in the elbow, and a 16-year-old boy was shot in the shoulder around 7:30 p.m. in the 900 block of E. Garfield Ave., said Milwaukee Police Capt. Christopher Domagalski. The wounds were not considered life threatening for either victim, he said. The parking lot is at the COA Youth & Family Centers, a youth-serving agency.

It's particularly disturbing when violence occurs within or outside a place meant to foster positive behavior in kids.

Back in December, shots were fired at a party at the Mary Ryan Branch of the Boys & Girls Club.

Here's another instance of a place of refuge for young people becoming a crime scene.

It's so discouraging that teens are making such self-destructive choices when positive alternatives are right there.

They don't have to be thugs. They want to be.