With a string of high-profile street takeovers, ongoing gun violence, and new legislation aimed at curbing both, Milwaukee’s public safety concerns are once again in the spotlight. As students settle into the fall semester at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, a familiar question is resurfacing with fresh relevance: is Milwaukee perceived as a violent city?
Recent street takeover events have pushed the issue further into public conversation. These takeovers involve crowds gathering at intersections while drivers perform donuts, shoot fireworks, and block traffic—often while filming and sharing the chaos on social media.
Police responded to at least 15 incidents earlier this month alone. Officials say over 200 such events have occurred in 2025 so far.
Milwaukee Police Chief of Staff Heather Hough recently described the trend as “cruising with theatrics,” adding, “Now you don’t just have the reckless behavior. You have the vehicles, you have the fireworks and other hazards of public safety, all to gain and obtain popularity and likes on social media.”
For students new to Milwaukee, the timing of these events has shaped first impressions of the city—and raised questions about how safe they feel in it.
“Yeah, to me Milwaukee is a violent city,” said Dulce Diaz, a freshman studying biomedical sciences who grew up in the city. While she believes students from outside Milwaukee may not fully share that view, she said safety clearly factors into how people settle in. “I know that students, when coming to another city or school, consider safety and the places they can hang out at.”
Others see the issue differently. Marlee Moreno, a freshman from Appleton majoring in marketing, said she knew about some violence in the city before enrolling but wouldn’t call Milwaukee violent outright.
“I wouldn’t say it was violent—only if you knew what areas to go to,” she said. “I would go to Chavez Drive a lot, and I know there were instances of gun violence there. Other than that, as long as you know the right people, you should be fine.”
She also said the recent street takeovers didn’t change her overall view. “It happens everywhere. It doesn’t impact my life directly. Maybe it impacted the folks on those streets for a short amount of time,” she said. “It’s kinda a little scary, but it’s not a violent city. As long as you’re not alone at night or on the scary roads, you should be fine.”
Khadija A., a freshman who moved to Milwaukee from Minnesota before the semester started, said she had already heard about the city’s reputation from people familiar with it.
“Some people would say some sides are [violent] and some aren’t,” she said. “People from Milwaukee I talked to before moving here said that yeah, there is some gun violence here.”
Whether or not students label Milwaukee a violent city, there’s little doubt that safety is on their minds. The takeovers and their headlines may fade, but the first impressions they leave behind likely won’t.