Gangs ~ Have you ever fallen victim to their violence...

[Lisa]

Gang violence and intimidation is a fact of life. A majority of the major cities have a gang task force to help deal with the rising problem of gang related crimes.

I can honesty say I have never had a "gang" altercation in my life time, I am a lucky woman. Has anyone hear been confronted by a gang, what did you do, how did you handle the situation and what was the outcome. For those of you who haven't what do you do to prepare yourself in case you are confronted and/or protect yourself from it ever happening?

 

[terryl965]

No I have been fortunite as well, although the thought of gangs are going becoming like the in thing to do even in great nieghborhoods these little teenagers believe that it is better to look like this and act this way to gain popularity in life.

 

[shesulsa]

When I was in high school, a small group of Latinas cornered me in the bathroom - two had knives - wanting money. I didn't have any and turned my pockets inside out to show them (wasn't carrying a purse that day). So they told me to leave or they would cut me - I left, they didn't cut me.

What did I do to prevent it again? Peed at home or took a group of friends to the bathroom with me. They seemed to prefer preying on one or two people rather than groups.

Stupid kid stuff.

 

[jks9199]

When I was in high school, a small group of Latinas cornered me in the bathroom - two had knives - wanting money. I didn't have any and turned my pockets inside out to show them (wasn't carrying a purse that day). So they told me to leave or they would cut me - I left, they didn't cut me.

What did I do to prevent it again? Peed at home or took a group of friends to the bathroom with me. They seemed to prefer preying on one or two people rather than groups.

Stupid kid stuff.

Attempted strong arm robbery, abduction, and threats of maiming are "stupid kid stuff?!":angry:

This is exactly the mindset I fight every day. I'm a cop; I'm currently assigned as a gang investigator. Mindsets like this make fighting gangs even harder.

I'm working to hold back a major rant. I'm going to try to be brief. Gangs are a major problem in every community and throughout the USA. Popular culture often glorifies gang behavior, and romanticizes it. It's neither glorious nor romantic. A community in my area just arrested members of two gangs because of a plot by a boy to have his father murdered. (FYI -- this was among mostly high school kids.) I am currently aware of several other conspiracies to commit murder by members of various gangs in the area; investigation of these cases is at different points. Gangs are actively recruiting among kids as young as elementary school. DON'T TOLERATE GANG ACTIVITY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. Report it and demand that the police take it seriously.

 

[Ceicei]

When I was in high school, there was a guy in class who was very quiet and always sat in the back. We became friends, then in a short time, he asked me to be his girlfriend. He wanted me to teach him sign language so he could "talk in codes". One day during lunch, two kids approached him. He looked at me and told me to wait, then walked a short distance away and made a drug deal while I watched. When he returned, I confronted him. He said, "You hang with me, you hang with all of us. If you don't want to do that, get out now." He explained he belonged to a group of people that not only sold drugs, they fought and carried weapons. He also showed me some tattoos that supposedly were his group markings. He showed me a few drug packets, his knife, and some money...

He let me go on the condition (among other conditions) I don't report him or the two kids to the officer that patrolled the school grounds. Since he hadn't introduced me to his group yet, I was able to walk away under these conditions. It could have been worse.

 

[tellner]

Nope. I live in a part of town that is officially a center of gang activity. But their lives don't really intersect mine. And they seem to be a little confused by me.

 

[Ping898]

I too have been lucky and never have experienced or really been around areas where gang activity was prevalent. It is as someone else said, everywhere, but there are some areas that the gang activity is more...blatant....than others....lucky i have never lived in one of those areas. Though I did go to college in downtown Newark and you were advised if you wanted to avoid being shot, especially at night, not to leave campus on foot....

 

[kailat]

Wow, this is something I can really go on and on about. But to save face,and time I'll just say " YES " I have been involved in altercations w/ Gangs. WOW back in the early 90's thru 96 it seemed to really have had alot of effect here for some dumb reason. Not only was there alot of it going on, I went to school with alot of "gang members" and or so they thought they were. Also, I had a few friends that were the so called Gangster Disciples Nation, and I also hung w/ a couple of guys who were from the opposing "set" Insane Vice Lords. None the less, these guys were just like anyone else.. I knew them for many years but thats the path they chose... I never really followed that path myself. As for being a victim or falling prey? Well let's see...

1) I had a brief altercation when I was younger w/ a few So called bloods, who were pissed at me and my room mate for talking crap about them and how "stupid" they looked while at the local McDonalds one day.. it led to a large verbal fight that led to me and my budd whooping on a few of them and in retaliation to scare us.. they done a drive by on our house!! Yeah that was all it took...LOL we moved soon after hahahaha..

2) another time in the mall when I was about 17yrs old, there was a young banger (blood i presume, or a proclaimed blood) he had this red outfit on and a red bandanda hanging out of his pocket, anyway back then I was a little crazy or didn't care or what not and me and my budd was cracking on these little white boys trying to be hard so to speak.. and we ended up fighting w/ them like 3 of them 2 of us.. we beat the snot out of them in the mall. We ended up in the security office and the gang bangers got arrested cause one of them had a gun... WHOOPS?

3) lets see, back in my teen years.. again like I said this town was pretty gang ridden, it was the thing to do to cruise the strip.. Well these Gang Bangers would tend to just drive up and down the strip terrorizing anyone they thought they could.. one night we were driving a group of me and my boyz and a car full of "Crips" or back then they were called the "FLY" gang (im sure u can google the FLYgang in Muncie, IN and see the drama they caused back in the 90's) and they threw a tire iron at us while driving down the road.. well of course me and my friends were like that wasn't going to fly so we pulled over and we all started fighting in a parking lot nearby... i just so happend to have had a pair of nunchaku in my car (don't ask me why cause I really don't remember, i always had something in my car back then..) but we ended up scrapping and well i remember cracking one of them upside the head w/ a pair of the chucks..and my buddy was beating the bejesus out of another.. I think they prolly bit of a bit more then they could chew that night.. It was a few months after that. the same idiots shot and killed a college student for like $5 bucks or something like that... IDIOTS last write up in the paper one of them now is in prison after the past 12+yrs or so.. and now he's an aryan nation or something... guess the CRIPS wasn't gonna take his white butt...lol..

man i have some more stories w/ gangs but a little much really.. lets just say later on as i grew older and got out of themilitary I got a job as a juvenille correctional officer and started helping youth and troubled gang members.. became a gang counselor and now im a Police Officer and teach Gang Awareness... I deal with them on a whole new level now a days.. but to be honest its not as prevelent around here as it once was.. we still have them but its on a different level now a days..

 

[tshadowchaser]

i lived in the middle of a large gang infested area. Four major gangs within a four block area.
I walked to work every day through the middle (and I do mean directly down the dividing line) of a couple of these gangs. I walked with my head up, met people eye to eye, spoke calmly and in a friendly manner ( most of the time) and went about my business. A few times when the shooting where happening every day in the area I would be more careful but kept to my routine and just tried to be myself when I knew I was being looked at. Being friendly and meeting them eye to eye seemed to mean a great deal to them. The little "good morning" would sometimes throw them off but they got used to it and soon started greeting me. I became a fixture in their world and was fortunate to be left alone to myself most of the time.
I admit to having many gang members in my house , playing board games, watching sports, eating dinner, etc. and we always where just ourselves and treated them as individuals and respect as long as they treated my home with respect. Even having rival gangs in the house never caused any problems as the house became a "safe" area where they could relax. What they did on the street was never discussed in my house and we never asked question.
Now I am not saying I did not have some problems with "outside" gangs and drug runners but that is a different story. These situations where handled on a individual bases. A few times I did inquire who was responsible for a certain persons behaviors and had a talk with the highest person I could talk to in order to avoid trouble but those occasions where rare. The fact that I was known in the area and my family was know and went to school with some of these people and that some of the people that frequented my house had a little influence in these circles helped clear away many problems.
Did that keep us from danger from "out side" gangs, NO. my son was jumped and beaten a couple of times, and I had a couple of times where "outside gangs" thought me an easy mark, but those are a different story and I would rather not say what happened other than I came out if them in one peace and I was not the one going to the ER. I have said in the past that I tend to carry a large knife in open view at times and my carry bag is/was equipped with my sticks as handles.

 

[shesulsa]

Later, in my early 20's, I lived in West Treces territory in Westminster, California. Gun shots were heard regularly - almost every night. I was never hurt. Talked about in Spanish as I walked down the street (the rarest of occasions) or to my car, but was never targeted. I lived in a secured complex, so that helped some. But mainly, I had an affect about me that I basically wasn't afraid. That generated either some respect or disinterest. I don't care which, all I care about is that I was never targeted.

I consider myself lucky.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Gang violence and intimidation is a fact of life. A majority of the major cities have a gang task force to help deal with the rising problem of gang related crimes.

I can honesty say I have never had a "gang" altercation in my life time, I am a lucky woman. Has anyone hear been confronted by a gang, what did you do, how did you handle the situation and what was the outcome. For those of you who haven't what do you do to prepare yourself in case you are confronted and/or protect yourself from it ever happening?

Flint Gangs - Yes.

Detroit Gangs - Yes.

Pontiac Gangs - Yes.

San Diego Gangs - Yes.

LA Gangs - Yes.

Plus lots of other situations.

A quick high light some.

LA - Driving from San Diego to Stockton (1988), and decided to get off express way. I went to turn right and there was a gang coming at me. I stopped and started to turn away from them and go left.But to the left was another group of guys/gang all armed and coming towards me. I put the vehicle in reverse and sped back on the express way. Yes I ran away.

San Diego (1988 as well), I was on the beach front, and these locals started beating up a group of students. They jumped the weakest in a knee brace and started to beat and kick him as all his friends ran away. I stepped up and stated I wouldn't do that if I was you. Of course they stopped and came at me. Exchange of words and I did not back down and the guy with me was right there at my side. We were out numbered 8 to 2. Their leader asked where I was from, and I said Flint. He said Where? I said Flint Michigan, the Murder capital of the USA. He smiled and said I knew there was something about you I liked and walked away. They staid in the area. The guy in the knee brace had crawled away. The police showed up and took control of the bad guys as they tried to run away.


Pontiac Gang (2005) - trying to get across town before everything shut down for the dream cruise. I missed the timing by a single light and was turned around. While trying to get where I needed to go I went through the wrong neighborhood. I came upon a "Business" deal, and my top was down on my convertible. I could not turn around so I just pulled up and smiled and told the truth. I am in the wrong neighborhood and just trying to leave. The leader from the porch smiled and said "Get the hell out off my street". I said thanks as I drove away.

Detroit Gangs ( late 80's ) - Hanging out down town, and I turned down the wrong street. I was approached on foot. I tried to back up but there was people behind me. I tried to leave but they continued to surround me. I ended up leaving it in Reverse where it was and just floored it to get away. I did not want to stick around with what they were saying to me.

Flint Gangs ( lots of dates and events )
1) 1995 - I was covering a door for a friend. At the place next door, a group of Neo-"Nazi's" showed up with flags and dogs and boots. Before I could get the 20 feet they had knocked out the two door guys and were kicking them with their steel toed boots. I pulled them off and then tried to protect them while others dragged them inside. I had one in my right hand and a second in my left hand but the third one on me reach over the hit me. I have never been hit so hard before. I turned so he caught my right eye and not my nose. My right eye turned inward and was looking at my nose. I closed it and continued to fight. I kicked the guy who hit me in the groin and then slammed the two together. They rushed me and I stepped back and fell when I stepped on one of the guys feet in the doorway. On my back in the doorway, I tried to use my feet to keep the guy pushing the attacks off of me. ( I was still worried about the dogs and the guys in the back of the other pick up and knew it could get real bad real quick *) The guy tried to jump on me and I caught him with my feet/legs and supported him with my left and jabbed with my right foot/leg. Since I was in the frame he could not get around me. I tried to jump back and kick me. I used heel checks to kick his feet until he jumped back on me and I caught him again. An off duty police officer doing security at a nearby bank sees the crowd gathering and comes around the corner and calls for back up and help. The bad guys left.

2) A local gang decided to hang out at my place. I asked them to go back outside and take all their weapons and leave them in their vehicles. (* August and they had long winter coats with lots of "toys" in them *) The leader asked me how I was going to stop him. I told I wasn't. But sooner or later someone would get out of his sight and call the police and I told him I did not like answering all those pesky questions. He smiled and took his boys outside and they came back in dressed for summer. I did not say anything for the knife that a couple of them were carrying. Given what they had left outside, I took it as a major win.

They spent lots of money and fun.

They came back.

They did not do business on site so we got along fine.

A rival gang walked in the back door and they were running out the front as I saw them. I locked the front door and asked them to just leave. They did because we had an understanding. The other gang was upset with me, and I told them that I did not like the paper work with the police and that if they choose they could follow them and stop arguing with me.

They left in the same direction the first gang did.

3) While downtown trying to ask people if they had a slim jim or coat hanger as a friend had locked his keys in his car. This gang took offense as they thought I was going to steal on their turf. I said hey guys relax and the rest of my crew is right there. I pointed and they started walking towards me calling out if I was ok. I said all is cool and left them behind. (* Note: I am 6'3" and was about 260 at that time and I was about the average size guy in the group. The other guys some were 6'8" and bigger than I with one or two that were smaller, but scrappy. *) The gang told me off about not poaching their turf. Later when we got the door open we just smiled abd pulled the keys out and locked the door and walked away. (* Car was parked in pay lot with guard *)

 

[MBuzzy]

No personal experiences, luckily....but if anyone is interested, I HIGHLY suggest the book Freakonomics. Even if you don't read the whole thing, if you're interested, there is a chapter on gangs that is pretty interesting. Basically it talks about how gangs are just businesses and most of their leaders are uninvolved in a lot of the goings on, much like a CEO. I really can't do it justice summarizing, but definately worth a read.

 

[Hawke]

I had to deal with some vandalism a while back go.

I got asked to buy drugs by nunchakus pointing at me by two thugs.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Nope. I live in a part of town that is officially a center of gang activity. But their lives don't really intersect mine. And they seem to be a little confused by me.

Given your Avatar...I'm not surprised... it confuses me too

 

[kidswarrior]

Have had a lot of interaction over the past 20 years, some years on a daily basis (in this area, gang activity in infested areas goes in cycles: as police/task forces crack down, within a year or so many of the leaders are locked up, and all quiets down; when they all start to get out, it flares back up, and can be worse because there are now also new seasoned people who stepped up while they were away). But for all the violence I've seen perpetrated, included crowbars, knives, gunfire, and the other usual suspects, none was directly targeted at me.

Sheldon's remarks especially resonate, and Georgia's also, as I've found that for me (maybe not for others, don't know, and probably depends on ones profession/bearing), seeing them as people drastically changes the dynamic for the better, as does the way I carry myself. Rich also had some great anecdotes--gotta take the *wins* where we can get them.

Bottom line for my experience is that the state says juvenile gang members have to be educated too, and since no one else will do it, county schools usually has to. That's me.

 

[Guardian]

I deal with the local gangs around here quite abit due to their usual defense of their homes is dogs and of course that's where I come in if their is abuse or neglect or just someone wanting to cause them trouble for no other reason then to cause them trouble and they use us to do that.

I've never had a serious problem with them, I talk to them just like I would talk to any citizen with respect and a calm tone, what they do doesn't interest me at all, how they treat their dogs and how they take care of them and are they following the city ordinances is what concerns me and that's how I approach them and we usually don't have a problem. In fact, most of them call me by my first name when they see me and I acknowledge them back. A mutual respect that I'm not down on them about it.

 

[IcemanSK]

I've never had problems with gang members. In college, I dated a gal who's sister was in a gang & taught me what to say & how to act.

As an adult, I've worked in social services & trained at a boxing gym that was an outreach to gang members. I had regular contact with gang members with only positive experiences. They knew me from the gym, the neighborhood & the fact that I'd help their moms pay the electric bill. I had a "standing" in that community that helped me a bit.