PONTIAC, Mich. – Gun violence in Pontiac is now considered a public health crisis.
Earlier this month, the Pontiac City Council passed a resolution declaring gun violence a public health emergency. Where one part reads “gun violence causes substantial injury and loss of life in Pontiac and across Michigan,” and requires a broader, more evidence-based response to reduce the harm.
Councilman Chris Jackson, who introduced the resolution, said though gun-related crime is down, the toll on families and communities is long-term and this resolution will help bring healing as well as funds to help organizations helping victims’ families.
“Any life or another life lost to gun violence is one too many,” Jackson said.
The urgency is visible on streets like Crystal Lake Drive, where a deadly shooting happened earlier this year just houses away from where residents recently spoke with Local 4 about the issue.
“This is more than just ceremonial,” Jackson. “ We’re going to make changes.”
For people like Deleah Sharp, the resolution is more than symbolic. Sharp lost her brother to gun violence in Pontiac.
“It absolutely can be life-changing,” she said. Sharp said she appreciated the city passing a resolution like this to address what she also sees as a serious problem.”
A review of data from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office showed that overall crime involving guns in Pontiac has declined over the past three years. The data is based on information up to May 1.
There were five murders involving a gun in 2024, one in 2023 and two so far in 2025.
There were 16 domestic aggravated assaults with a gun in 2024, nine in 2023 and six in 2025.
Despite those decreases, Jackson and others argue that the underlying damage, grief and trauma justifies treating gun violence as a crisis.
Under the resolution, Pontiac will seek to study the causes and contributing factors of gun violence, create a task force focused on prevention and intervention, and look at additional funding for community-based programs that support survivors and victims’ families.
Getting more funding for community-based programs could help organizations like Sharp’s.
Sharp’s Identify Your Dream Foundation, which she started in her brother’s memory, helps families and young people affected by violence.
Something she said she wishes had a larger reach.
“Making sure that we are targeting the root causes, not just something that is suggested, but actually meeting these residents where they are,” Sharp said. “If we’re meeting them right there and begin to bring the services and support that they truly do need, they progress to where we are beyond today.”
And Jackson said talks have already started about how the task force would look to help address gun violence. It’ll bring in groups who work with families affected by shootings, and have them help come up with ideas.