Muskegon mom pleads for help after gunshots near home

Cammi Horn, a new parent, is concerned about community safety after recent incidents of gun violence in her neighborhood.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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After hearing gunshots outside her Muskegon home on multiple occasions, a concerned mother named Cammi Horn has written a letter to the city's mayor, Ken Johnson, pleading for solutions to address the gun violence in her community. While the overall crime numbers in Muskegon have been declining, Horn and local officials agree that more needs to be done to ensure the safety of residents, especially for new parents like herself.

Why it matters

Gun violence in residential neighborhoods can have a significant impact on community safety and the wellbeing of families, especially those with young children. This story highlights the real fears and frustrations felt by residents like Horn, and the need for a collaborative effort between local government, law enforcement, and the broader community to address these public safety concerns.

The details

In the past few weeks, Horn has heard gunshots outside her home in the Sheldon Park neighborhood of Muskegon on three separate occasions. As a new parent caring for her 7-week-old son, Jackson, Horn feels powerless and is seeking help from city leaders. She has written a letter to Mayor Johnson, not to criticize his work, but to plead for solutions to the gun violence in her area. While the city's public safety director, Tim Kozal, notes that overall crime and calls for shots fired have declined in recent years, Horn says it's still challenging to forget the traumatic experiences of hearing gunfire near her home.

  • Over the past few weeks, Horn has heard gunshots outside her home on three separate occasions.
  • From 2024 to 2025, calls for shots fired in Muskegon were down by 23%.
  • Since January 2026, there have been 12 calls for shots fired in Muskegon, including three from the Sheldon Park neighborhood.

The players

Cammi Horn

A Muskegon resident and new mother who is concerned about the gun violence in her Sheldon Park neighborhood.

Ken Johnson

The mayor of Muskegon, who received a letter from Horn expressing her fears and frustrations about the recent gunshots near her home.

Tim Kozal

The public safety director for the city of Muskegon, who confirmed that overall crime numbers have been declining but acknowledged the valid concerns of residents like Horn.

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What they’re saying

“And I feel powerless. I was just sitting there on the couch that night and I felt like I needed to do something.”

— Cammi Horn, Muskegon resident (woodtv.com)

“For a neighbor, particularly a new parent, a young parent, hearing that activity in their neighborhood is just distressing and unsettling. And understandably so and so something I often say is that gun violence anywhere in our city and any level of gun violence is unacceptable.”

— Ken Johnson, Mayor of Muskegon (woodtv.com)

“One of my expectations of the team after this came down is not only increasing patrols, but let's find out who did this and let's seize some weapons and hopefully put somebody in jail for that.”

— Tim Kozal, Public Safety Director of Muskegon (woodtv.com)

What’s next

Mayor Johnson and Public Safety Director Kozal have both stated that they will be increasing patrols in the Sheldon Park neighborhood and working to identify the individuals responsible for the recent gunfire incidents.

The takeaway

This story highlights the need for a collaborative, community-wide effort to address gun violence and ensure the safety of all residents, especially vulnerable populations like new parents and young families. While the overall crime statistics may be improving, the personal experiences of residents like Cammi Horn demonstrate the real and ongoing challenges faced by neighborhoods impacted by these issues.