SERIES PREMIERES ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th

In East Lansing, Michigan, an outburst of violence at the local high school, and the discovery of a gun, leads to a community reckoning over school safety, racial equity, and the role of police in schools.

This four-part documentary series asks big questions about school safety, policing, racial equity, and what it’s like to be a teenager in an era of school shootings.

Follow Violence Week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Producer and Host: Emily Reeves

Sound Engineer: Cory Choy

Original Theme Music by Regan Sprenkle

Additional Music from Blue Dot Sessions

Cover Art by Cole Witter

SERIES PREMIERES ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th

In East Lansing, Michigan, an outburst of violence at the local high school, and the discovery of a gun, leads to a community reckoning over school safety, racial equity, and the role of police in schools.

This four-part documentary series asks big questions about school safety, policing, racial equity, and what it’s like to be a teenager in an era of school shootings.

Follow Violence Week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Producer and Host: Emily Reeves

Sound Engineer: Cory Choy

Original Theme Music by Regan Sprenkle

Additional Music from Blue Dot Sessions

Cover Art by Cole Witter

Producer and host Emily Reeves returns to her old high school in East Lansing, Michigan, where the discovery of a gun ignited intense fears of school shootings and a fierce debate over policing in schools.

Violence Week is a Silver Podcast Network production

Producer & Host: Emily Reeves

Engineer & Mix: Cory Choy, with assistance from Christian Cuciniello

Fact Checking: Nancy Gordon

Cover Art: Cole Witter

Our theme music was composed by Regan Sprenkle. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Special thanks to Tony Williams, Feyisayo Aluko, Liam O’Brien, and Sierra Fitch

As her hometown wrestles with the role of police in schools, Emily is reminded of a controversial incident from her days at East Lansing High School.

In this episode, she takes us to meet her old classmate Marcus, who was tased by the school's police officer nearly thirteen years ago, to finally learn the truth about what happened.

And in the middle of this heated community debate over school safety, a shocking event unfolds—raising the stakes for East Lansing's decision.

Violence Week is a Silver Podcast Network production

Producer & Host: Emily Reeves

Engineer & Mix: Cory Choy, with assistance from Christian Cuciniello

Fact Checking: Nancy Gordon

Cover Art: Cole Witter

Our theme music was composed by Regan Sprenkle. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Special thanks to Tony Williams, Feyisayo Aluko, Liam O’Brien, and Sierra Fitch

In the world's most heavily-armed country, can anything actually make schools safe from gun violence? Can police prevent school shootings? And why are officers stations in schools to begin with? To explore these tough questions, Emily attends a School Resource Officer training and sits down with a school safety expert.

Violence Week is a Silver Podcast Network production

Producer & Host: Emily Reeves

Engineer & Mix: Cory Choy, with assistance from Christian Cuciniello

Fact Checking: Nancy Gordon

Cover Art: Cole Witter

Our theme music was composed by Regan Sprenkle. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Special thanks to Tony Williams, Feyisayo Aluko, Liam O’Brien, and Sierra Fitch

In the final episode of Violence Week, we return for one final dramatic school board meeting to discover whether police will return to the high school. Along the way, we meet with community organizers and the President of the School Board to understand what stopped the fights at East Lansing High and reflect on what this story illuminates about violence prevention.

Violence Week is a Silver Podcast Network production

Producer & Host: Emily Reeves

Engineer & Mix: Cory Choy, with assistance from Christian Cuciniello

Fact Checking: Nancy Gordon

Cover Art: Cole Witter

Our theme music was composed by Regan Sprenkle. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Cue Shop.

Special thanks to Tony Williams, Feyisayo Aluko, Liam O’Brien, and Sierra Fitch

Big News: Violence Week has been nominated for a Webby Award for Best Indie Podcast — Limited Series. The Webby Awards is the Internet’s most respected symbol of success and winning one means more recognition for indie podcasts like ours.

And you can help! Voting for the People's Voice Award is open until Thursday, April 17th. Cast your vote here and help Violence Week take home the win: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/features/best-indie-podcast-limited-run

Thanks for supporting indie podcasts!