New video shared with WISN 12 shows a vandalism rampage through a Milwaukee nonprofit.The destruction happened last Thursday at Convergence Resource Center near North 76th and West Bradley Road.The center helps rescue women from sex trafficking.A former employee broke in and caused thousands of dollars in damage. The new video shows how quickly the office was damaged.But the cleanup was nearly just as fast thanks to the volunteers who pitched in to help.The video shows the disgruntled former employee break in.She and an unidentified man smash computers, toss furniture and generally trash the place.”The security system had to be replaced because they ripped it out of the wall,” Convergence Resource Center CEO Debbie Lassiter told WISN 12 on Tuesday.The suspect was threatening to kill Lassiter.She locked herself in a rear office. The pair left just before officers arrived with guns drawn. The office was left in shambles but a day after Lassiter shared her story with WISN 12, dozens came out to help the agency that helps sex trafficking victims gain job skills and jobs.”Folks find value in what we do here enough that they wanted us open and my goal really was that the ladies who were here that needed help would walk in here and be like, ‘Aaahhh!’ And that’s what happened,” Lassiter said.The trashed lobby has been restored with a new bookcase, among the items replaced. They’re still working to fix up to replace the wall of success stories.That was one of the most painful things damaged.As invigorated as she is with the response, Lassiter wants to be clear: The people who did this need to face serious consequences.”We are a social service agency, next to a day care center, and that was allowed to happen up here and some people now are saying, ‘Oh, I don’t want to work with survivors because of that.’ Well, there should be something in place to let people know that you just can’t come into a social service agency and do that,” Lassiter said.Milwaukee police said they identified the woman involved but not the man involved. The suspects so far have not yet been arrested.To donate to help the center recover, click here.
New video shared with WISN 12 shows a vandalism rampage through a Milwaukee nonprofit.
The destruction happened last Thursday at Convergence Resource Center near North 76th and West Bradley Road.
The center helps rescue women from sex trafficking.
A former employee broke in and caused thousands of dollars in damage.
The new video shows how quickly the office was damaged.
But the cleanup was nearly just as fast thanks to the volunteers who pitched in to help.
The video shows the disgruntled former employee break in.
She and an unidentified man smash computers, toss furniture and generally trash the place.
“The security system had to be replaced because they ripped it out of the wall,” Convergence Resource Center CEO Debbie Lassiter told WISN 12 on Tuesday.
The suspect was threatening to kill Lassiter.
She locked herself in a rear office.
The pair left just before officers arrived with guns drawn.
The office was left in shambles but a day after Lassiter shared her story with WISN 12, dozens came out to help the agency that helps sex trafficking victims gain job skills and jobs.
“Folks find value in what we do here enough that they wanted us open and my goal really was that the ladies who were here that needed help would walk in here and be like, ‘Aaahhh!’ And that’s what happened,” Lassiter said.
The trashed lobby has been restored with a new bookcase, among the items replaced.
They’re still working to fix up to replace the wall of success stories.
That was one of the most painful things damaged.
As invigorated as she is with the response, Lassiter wants to be clear: The people who did this need to face serious consequences.
“We are a social service agency, next to a day care center, and that was allowed to happen up here and some people now are saying, ‘Oh, I don’t want to work with survivors because of that.’ Well, there should be something in place to let people know that you just can’t come into a social service agency and do that,” Lassiter said.
Milwaukee police said they identified the woman involved but not the man involved.
The suspects so far have not yet been arrested.
To donate to help the center recover, click here.
