GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There have been more than 300 weapons law violations in the city of Grand Rapids so far this year – according to the GRPD. That’s people who are not carrying, transporting, selling or using their weapons legally. While those numbers also include knives, bombs and other deadly weapons, the majority of these cases involve guns. But there’s a man who is making it his mission to help reduce those numbers, by teaching his community how to do the right thing.
Reverend Willie Anderson is a certified CPL trainer, and the owner/founder of My Brother’s Keeper, the first Black-owned gun shop in Grand Rapids. He considers gun ownership a right and started his business because he wants his community educated about firearm safety and training. He wants to make sure every person who walks out of his store with a gun knows how to use it, safely.
Another part of his mission: passing out free gun locks to anyone who needs them. He says it’s a simple way to protect our children. Another way to protect them, is education. My Brother’s Keeper is offering free training to students 17 and under, plus reduced rates for families. A lot of the work is done on a simulator with real-world situations. The more training someone has, the more confident and comfortable they will be with their firearm. Revered Willie says he wants to be a role model to the Black and Brown community and beyond, as a gun owner who never stops learning or teaching.
Reverend Willie is looking for individuals and businesses who may be interested in helping sponsor the free gun lock program. To learn more about that, upcoming classes or anything else, you can head to mybrotherskeepersolutions.com or their Facebook page.
My Brother’s Keeper is at 3100 Division Avenue South in Grand Rapids.