Fairbanks police investigating gang-related shooting
Originally published Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 7:05 p.m.
Updated Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 1:25 p.m.
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By MARY BETH SMETZER
msmetzer@newsminer.com
Fairbanks police have been working around the clock since a gang-related shootout Friday afternoon on College Road shattered car windows and pockmarked vehicles with bullet holes along a two-mile stretch of the heavily traveled road between the Aurora Drive and Illinois Street intersections.
Seven people were detained following the gunfire and taken to police headquarters but were not charged, police Sgt. Eric Jewkes said. None carried weapons.
“From what we can gather, there was nothing to charge them with. Shots were fired at them,” he said.
Police continue to search for the gunmen.
Two recent arrests, one Friday night on drug and weapons charges and another Saturday on a felony theft charge, may be related to the shootout, said Lt. Dan Welborn, Fairbanks Police Department Investigation Unit division commander.
In the past couple of weeks, police and troopers have responded to a number of calls where weapons were brandished or used. Incidents took place at Wal-Mart, the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds and Eagles Hall.
On Wednesday, shots were fired in the vicinity of Danby Road and the intersection of Airport Way and the Steese Highway.
“It was the same group of people. They were stopped at the (Fort Wainwright) main gate by the civilian security,” Jewkes said.
Police impounded a car that had some bullet holes in it and arrested Carlos Davis on a charge of drug possession.
Police Chief Dan Hoffman said the department’s investigative unit was working Friday on recent gang activity before the shootout occurred and, in conjunction with the Fort Wainwright Criminal Investigation Division, had seized three weapons and two vehicles at the Army post.
“We had just put out an update to our patrol officers, and not two hours later, we had this incident on College Road and several of these people were the same people involved on College Road,” Hoffman said.
Patrol officers, detectives and the military CID said the major players on both sides claim to be members of the Crips and Bloods. Some of those involved are active-duty military members.
“We know who they are — nearly everybody involved has been identified,” Hoffman said. “Those involved in the shootings are laying low right now, and we are having difficulty locating them and the vehicles they were using. We will not be in a position to arrest and charge people with some of these shootings until we have a completed investigation.”
Hoffman said the latest incidents should be a wake-up call to the community before gang activities become entrenched, like they have become in Anchorage.
“We are not being ‘Chicken Little,’” Hoffman emphasized. “These instances are positive proof that we are seeing gang behavior at schools and at the military post. And we need to be proactive in stepping up and stamping it out.”
In addition to the Crips and Bloods, other gangs known to local police are Gangster Disciples and MS-13.
Although there have been some racial issues, Jewkes said, gang behavior is not a racial issue nor a military issue — it is a criminal behavior issue.
Both Jewkes and Hoffman emphasized that the few active duty military members involved with gangs are a miniscule part of the overall military presence in the community.
Information learned about an individual during the shootout investigation resulted in an arrest Friday night, Welborn said. Further charges are pending.
“We are working very closely with the department’s gang task force,” Wellborn said. “In addition, two of the seven men detained Friday were military and are now restricted to post.”
On Saturday, another suspect arrested for felony theft was being questioned in connection with the shootings.
Hoffman, who said he considers himself a huge supporter of the military, said it is not unusual to get a few bad apples in such a large entity.
Last winter, Hoffman said a representative of the judge advocate general’s office told community leaders the Army has little crime on post, and that 80-90 percent of criminal behavior committed by soldiers occurs off post.
“We have been continuously in conversation with the school district, city government and stakeholder groups about it,” Hoffman said. “We have been sounding the alarm bell that there is gang activity and oftentimes with a military conduit.”
Military police have been cooperative in the recent shooting investigations but are prohibited from coming into the community to do any law enforcement short of martial law, Hoffman said.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the shootout in the College Road area Friday afternoon to get in touch with them and to check their vehicle for bullet holes.
“The public concern is our concern,” Welborn said. “We are working around the clock, but we can’t be everywhere at once. We really rely on victims or witnesses in our investigations.”
Contact staff writer Mary Beth Smetzer at 459-7546.
Community Discussion
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At least we know the shooters weren't drinking and driving.
Hoffman said: "These instances are positive proof that we are seeing gang behavior at schools and at the military post. And we need to be proactive in stepping up and stamping it out."
Did I read this right? Did he just give us permission to hunt these jerks down?
Be proactive and use a rifle instead of a handgun. You will be much more accurate then they are.
Seriously though know your children and stay involved. Visit the schools and talk to them.
Pat
Ah! Past actions are predictions of future performance. We are letting the weeds in the Fairbanks garden grow because we fail to have a plan.
I they start poppin caps near me, my plan is 'shoot to kill'.
so there were three other incidents similar to this one and the cops know who the "major players" are. Why aren't these guys being charged? Hell why aren't they in jail on attempted murder charges? Im sure if I saw a car full of these "gang bangers" and decided to do the world a favor, I would be charged with murder! Part of the reason my wife and I moved up here years ago was to get our kids away from this junk. How much farther north are we gonna have to go?
You damn right you better get pro-active. One of our children get shot by a stray bullet by one of these low life's and while the military and our city official know the facts,someone will pay dearly. The military is not a good neighbor if they cannot police their own. By the way isn't the military fighting a war on terrorism. What do you call these actions. Turf war my ass, my tax dollars say give me a safe town. NOW. Hire and pay some off duty Rangers to sweep the streets and rid us of the slime. I'm not talking with a broom.
While I am warmed up by this nonsense that our city officials are just watching. I say if we know these punks are on base then the military should have a vehicle check on the way out of the base and the city should restrict entrance into our city until these thug punks are eliminated.
Well there were six or seven troopers & police searching an empty vehicle tonight. They were on Illinois right past College at about 7:15 or so. Wonder if it was related & wonder when we will find out.
Send them back to where they came from, one way ticket.
Well once again, if the market wasn't out there for the drug dealing gangs, they wouldn't be fighting over "turf". And if you think this is a new phenom, do you also think it was free lancers dealing during the pipeline days?
"it still isn’t against the law to be shot at"
That law needs to be changed!
insbush, you took the words right out of my mouth....Alaska does not need them and they don't deserve Alaska. I'd pitch in for a one way ticket.
This is not the first time these gang -bangers have had shootings. WHY is this not published in the Daily NEWS, or the Alaska Trooper report on a daily basis?? THE Fairbanks police Dept should have a web site to keep the public informed!! Other shooting happened weeks ago & you say the community should be aware!! WELL HELLO! keep the public updated and informed !!!!!!!
AKPrincess, listening on my scanner, the car on Illinois was pulled over after a robbery.
This may be unrelated, but has anyone noticed how after the cops went to digital radio (which most scanners can't monitor) back in 2006, we started hearing fewer and fewer details about crimes that happened in town? The fact that FPD/AST didn't release reports about the fights at the fair, Wal-mart, the shooting on Danby until well after they had happened just blows my mind, and I'm convinced that part of the reason is because it's now a lot harder for Joe Citizen to listen in?
Who watches the watchers?
The community as a whole needs to adopt a zero tolerance policy on this and we need to keep the pressure on our elected officials to follow through. Gang activity in schools cannot be tolerated. These kids need to be expelled pronto and offered correspondance classes, but they need to be removed from the general school population. We need to enhance the punishment for people who commit gang-related crimes so they are in jail longer. And we need to let the military know that they need to remove these individuals from their ranks. This community bends over backwards for our military, and it's time for the military to step up to the plate. Folks in the military can be confined to barracks, can be kicked out and have very little recourse. If they know they have active gang members shooting at one another, it's time to kick 'em out. The entire community needs to report any suspected gang activity so it can be investigated. And we need to have adequate funding for law enforcement. Let's make this community a total hell for gang members and they will move on.
geez what is wrong with these people what do they think they own this state to ? send them back to where ever they came from better yet send them to iraq and give them a good reason to shoot and defend themselves.
Thanks RabbleRabble, with the timing being so close I was curious & hoped they were making some arrests.
If the customers weren't there the problem wouldn't be either.
I would like to know what the military's plan is for the thugs that are in activie duty that behave in such an intolerant way? Is it me just to notice or do others when I say that is becoming more prevalant that enlisted soldiers here in Fairbanks are involved in crime off base? Theabowman I totally agree with you on zero tolerance. What gets me is that when the same students get in trouble at school their parents come to their defense so much so that the staff is accused of picking on their child. I'm not saying where I work but different types of knives have been brought in by the same student, fighting on the bus, threats to other students and list on goes. Keep in mind this elementary. This student is now onto JR high. I firmly believe parents need to stop defending their child when it is very evident that the child is the cause of the trouble.
Folks, these "gangs" deal in FEAR as their primary product.
Coming from me, a liberal Democrat (since 1970) - don't let 'em scare you.
Help the cops (state/local/fed) with anything you know and anything you see. They have more investigative tools and, though having to follow procedure, won't spend time in jail for taking down a yahoo.
Gangstas. They think they're above. AB/Crip/Blood/Cholo/Sinners - they rule by FEAR. In Fairbanks, our fear is running up against a mama moose with babies - on the other side of the road. Mama will getcha. So will mama brownie/blackie. So will 45 below.
We're too good a bunch of folks here in the interior to allow this garbage to suck up our kids, our money, or our lives. We don't need these garbage people from gangs in our military, our towns, or our state. I don't care WHAT gangs - Aryan Brotherhood is one of the worst.
Let's keep our eyes open, our hearts calm, and our minds where they usually are - toward our families, our community and our security.
Aryan Brotherhood could take care of the problem if the cop can't
you damn troopers are clueless!
can't wait for the next shooting.
your letting these wanna be's back on the streets.
because you have nothing to charge? haha
we are all in danger!
I think the firt comment is so on-if there was money to be made, as is the case with a DUI, then we would have criminals instead of suspects right now.
tompat, the AB is no better than the Crips, Bloods or Cholos, the Sinners or the rest. They are nothing more than a bunch of thugs dealing in dope, fear and pain, like the rest. No difference. None.
They ALL profess to have certain "beliefs".
What they believe is actually that they are above any law, can do whatever they want to anyone they want, can acquire and distribute drugs/guns/money to whomever they choose, because they are NOT LAW ABIDERS.
The AB can be, and is, as bad as the rest. And they have less members. So who wins in the end? No one. The innocent bystanders who are shot or maimed or killed? The community that's terrorized? And don't get me wrong - ALL OF THESE GANGS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN HOME-GROWN TERRORISTS.
We cannot let them get a base here that will be profitable. If we have to monitor the military, by God, let's do that. If we have to monitor ourselves, let's do that too. Regardless of what political arena you're in, regardless of whether you're military or civilian, regardless of your race, regardless of your economic status - once these outlaw's gain status here, they do NOT give it up.
We all owe it to the Fairbanks North Star Borough, no matter how mad we are about property taxes, etc. to make sure this is a once-only occurrance.
If these GI’s want someone to shoot at, put them on a plane to Iraq and let em loose.
It is our town, our community, and we pay for certain services. I'm trying to stay optimistic and give the benefit of the doubt to those that protect and serve, and it would do my heart glad to see the boys in blue crank the the heat up on these punks. They know who they are, so they should be able to hassle them to near insanity. These a****les shouldn't be able to buy a roll of toilet paper without a cop showing up in line behind them at the checkout isle.
Auntedna, most of them already are on their way, or are finally coming back.
How many of your kids/grandkids have served? It's a tough time to be a troop, and only the really good ones (here, the Strykers) go, and many are killed IN YOUR NAME.
Auntedna, unless you've served, unless you've had someone die in war (and I HATE the politics of this one, but our troops are the best), keep your damn yap shut.
They shoud close Ft. Wainwright. That would cut the crime rate in this city in half. Almost every dui or asault in the paper is someone from the army.
This is just a continuation of the last article. Another chance to point the finger at the military.
Auntedna - so we send these fellas to Iraq. Yeah, that solves everything in your little world that affects you solely now doesn't it.
Nevermind my husband then has to work with them 24/7 outside the wire. Of course, you wouldn't know what that's like in your cushioned world would you?
I urge each and everyone of you to carry a concealed handgun and know how to use it. Our law says it is legal. That is what I call being proactive!
Or their dependents. Or retired military folks who have settled here and their dependents.
Who else are you going to blame?
OK, the kids and adults that come in from the villages and populate 2nd avenue.
The NorthStar Center.
The homeless.
You close the bases or posts, where does our employment level drop? 20 or 30% unemployment? Like pre-pipline? Was that fun?
The military has no more to do with gangs than unemployment, poverty and hopelessness do.
mikejmarvin, how many years did you spend serving your country?
And as for the 50% rate you give to DUI/Assault to the military - it's more like 75% Alaska Native, and usually from out of town.
Want to continue to qualify this crap?
IT IS OUR COMMUNITY. I don't care what color you are. I don't care if you're from Anuktuvik, Bethel, Fairbanks, Ft. Wainwright, North Pole, Salcha, Nenana, Clear, Anderson - IT IS OUR COMMUNITY.
There is no one to blame except the members of these gangs. If our military knew in advance that they were life members, then that is on them, it's not on us. What we need is entire community support to be sure our kids and grandkids don't get sucked in to this.
And if they do, to report them to our law enforcement officials.
These gangs deal in fear. Their drugs, their guns, their control is ALL based on fear.
If you want to close our bases and posts, fine. But you don't find a bunch of fear in troops who've just returned from IED's and firefights in Iraq. And you don't find a bunch of gangsta's in their kids, because most of their kids are less than 10 years old.
You find this crap in much older, established groups around the borough; meth heads, crank and crack dealers, etc. That is where you need to pay attention.
Except for my cats. They are mean. They'd eat a gangsta for lunch!
Whenever you have 10,000 young men between the ages of 18 and 25 there are bound to be some problems. It sounds to me like there were only a few GI's involoved. I totally agree zero tolerance!! But please don't lump them all altogether. Like I've said before, I know some really awesome families and young men who are outstanding people that are in the military.
theabowman
What are you talking about when you say this community bends over backwards for our military? Just curious.
I think the military has a huge impact on our economy. Fairbanks would be a way smaller community without them, which wouldn't be a bad thing I guess. Houses would be cheaper. Just something to think about.
P.S.
I deeply appreciate what our military does for all of us!! And just want to say thanks to all who serve for all our freedoms!!
Thank you for the sacrifices you and your families make for US!!!
wayuphere - thank you for your post by the way! Just FYI for those that don't understand the differences - please don't forget the airmen who are deploying year-round as well. The AF doesn't deploy in large groups as the Army does.
So, though the big news here right now is the deployment coming up next month with the Army, please don't forget those out here at Eielson who silently deploy without the pomp and circumstance, without knowledge of the general public, someone like my husband and countless other airmen who leave their families without the big send-off and who come home quietly just the same.
:)
Time to move to the bush with a stock pile of Ammo!
wayupthere and cor13: good comments/thoughts...saw the pile-on already starting.
Thanks
mikejmarvin - I'd love to know where exactly you get that 50% number. Got some sources? I'm thinking that perhaps you need a course in statistics...
The blame here, to echo a few of my fellow posters above, belongs solely to those involved. Anyone who was should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
tompat, one of my friends works as a reporter for the newsminer. I'd told this person a year ago about that presentation I'd gone to, a year ago, about gang violence in Fairbanks.
I also asked this person why there was little, or no coverage in the newsminer about these activities.
The answer? Someone felt, at the newsminer, that to report gang-related violence in the paper would only increase gang-related violence on the streets. Reporting on their activities would only increase these activities, as one gang tries to one-up another gang in order to get publicity. Reporting on their activities would only give them further motivation to commit these kinds of activities, and gain more notoriety, more of a "rep."
I had a hard time finding an argument against that . . .
It's interesting how politics, can quelch what is going on in our community. I remember the FBI statistics came out a few years ago and pretty well said Fairbanks had some serious problems. But our community leaders said: "That ain't right, them thar satisics is all wrong." So...as it goes, unless our leadership is willing to admit there is a white elephant in the livingroom, not much is going to change in the long term. This will just end up being being a blip on the radar and things will be forgotten untill the next incident(s). I just pray to God my family is never impacted.
Lady NYC wrote:
Someone felt, at the newsminer, that to report gang-related violence in the paper would only increase gang-related violence on the streets.
If this is the case I should be looking to having Bill Allen help me with my new deck. Lets get real. It is insane to suggest that reporting the news will increase gang violence. I hope your just misinformed since if your right all we will see is feel good fluff.
We are a community. We have been since we got our start with a pirate, then Felix discovered some shiny stuff north of here.
When the AlCan first got here, we were waiting, and telling them they got it wrong in a lot of places. It was just a road. WE made it a highway.
Since 1940, when it was Ladd Air Force Station. We have been Alaskans for Ladd Field, for Eielson when got it's start, since White Alice and BMEWS. We've been Alaskans in support of Ft. Wainwright since before it was Ft. Wainwright. We are Alaskans.
Back during my high school days, in the late '60s and early '70s, Ft. Wainwright was known as "the base where they shipped all the misfits". My dad was pretty connected, and said it was more like the "intelligent but disagreeable" kids got sent. Sort of like, hey you got a choice, Alaska or Viet Nam.
Sure, we wound up with problems. But nothing like we did with the "adults" that came with the pipeline.
Don't judge from one incident. Keep your counsel, trust your cops, appreciate your military.
Lady - the DNM was simply washing their hands of anything, or any involvement pointing the finger at them as the source of all things evil re: any kind of gang activity.
It's my understanding that the gangs have been around for quite some time. The issue just kept being swept under the rug like it didn't exist. I don't see the DNM's solution as being very helpful to Fairbanksans. For the DNM to think that their paper gives weight and attention to the gangs and making it all worse to bring it up is a cop-out.
The DNM is small peanuts against the internet and the WWW that they have access to in their own homes.
Fairbanks really needs to advance about 20 years to catch up to mainstream. Today's real life issues are at your doorstep.
mike thats a damn lie... I think its rediculas that the whole military is getting blamed for two stupid punks. I dont know what u guys expect the military to do with their soldiers when your own fairbanks police are letting shooters go. It's not against the law to get shot at... haha.. obviously they've been shooters in one of the incidents... isn't that how this works... one shoots they shoot back and so forth. The police have been giving names and what they drive.. half were arrested yesterday... and released today??? what sense does that make? They only give a crap if its a dui incident or a no seatbelt violation. I garentee nothing is going to be done until an inicent person is died.
i'm trying my hardest to keep faith in our troopers... but from my experience here in fairbanks.. nothing is ever done. its really sad.
As far as the military members... there isn't even a hand full of them. So really you can't blame all of ft wainwright for the voilence that is going down. Half these guys are Lathrop drop outs.
Realest, from your own typing I would say you dropped out yourself. Or maybe you just could not make it in the real world and joined the military.
Pat
what's wrong with my typing? I'm not in school. And i graduated @$$. U can say what you want about me, I know more about what is going on with this situation so i'm trying to inform ya'll.
=) That says a lot for our school system. I hope your self esteem is intact. I really do appreciate your concern for our well being. Ya'll is that a word?
Pat
It's interesting to read how the military is perceived here. While there may be a military presence here, those that are so quick to trash the military seem to forget that there are Fairbanksans that have been raised here who are also now stationed here.
I found it really interesting how the DNM published that a couple of the guys involved were military, but while watching the local news on TV said NOTHING about that fact. It makes me wonder about the DNM altogether.
Fairbanks needs to look in its own backyard and stop the blame game, get busy and deal with it proactively. Bitching about it isn't going to solve anything.
Yeah. Only people who drop out or "can't make it in the real world" join the military. Pat says so, so it must be true. pfffft
The saddest truth for me though, is that in stories where the military are mentioned (negatively or positively), there is a small and unfortunately loud, faction of our society unwilling to acknowledge their own bias when it comes to this population of men and women in uniform. To that faction, anything military is ignorant, violent and generally unable to function outside of the military boundaries. That faction is, of course, wrong in it's assumptions and ignorance, but thanks to those who served in the past, they are allowed to voice those same ignorant assumptions loudly.
The military is not the cause of society's ills. In fact, I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to say that serving in the military offers a way out of being one of society's ills - not always, no, but often enough.
Thanks to those of you serving for those of us who can't...and for those of us who won't.
It does actually. I make $30 an hour. I'd say i'm doing very well for myself. Regardless of what you think. It's people like you that make this town the way it is. Completely off the subject. U must be a cop here in fairbanks because your attention spand sucks. And I'm from the south.. so yes, to me... Ya'll is a work.
word**** lol
We need to take the money from the oil and spend it on OUR community, not sit it in an account to be dolled out 1200.00 at a time... I'd rather have better roads, schools, public facilities for families, More police, fireman, teachers than a dividend every year.
What we say here doesn't matter. Nothing will change.
Completely agree with Dana. Half the people talking so negative are the same people who wont man up and join... PAT! These men and women put their life on the line fighting for you and this is what they deserve???
Rediculous? Garantee? U? realest i highly doubt you make minimim wage let alone $30 an hour.
And as far as the newsminer is concerned gone are the days when CW owned this paper and i for one am very sad to see it. This paper reads like a episode of Jerry Springer just a bunch of "shock" to sell papers. I bet CW is rolling over in his grave rite now.
I could be completely wrong, but last I knew, the cops and troopers had very little to do with how long people actually stayed in jail. They can only arrest the individuals. The prosecutors and judges are then in charge.
I agree, this is a horrible horrible "thing" that is happening here. While I certainly agree with citizens carrying, I think we need to think about what we can do to pressure the prosecutors and judges to keep these low-life inconsiderate a$$e$ in jail for a LONG time.
I see that most these people are forgetting about the big picture in what is going on here. I think that realest has said some real things on here but people want to pick at her typing. He's there to voice here opinion not to be correct keyboardest.
Anyway, I thought this was sapposed to be talking about the shootings. I think this is really sad and now that the cops have let these people go i'm affraid to be out. It's only a matter of time before another incident happens again. I give it a couple of days. I also think that its rediculous that the past four shootings this week were not in the newspaper. I think as a public we should be informed of the dangers that lurk around us.
akgirlie... i think you're right, but they're not even pressing charges. They said they have no evidence on these guys. Which i find very hard to believe. They "detained" a guy after wed. morning shooting that had a weapon and drugs and he was released the next day with no charges. How does that work exsactly?
I think it is ridiculous that so many posters here cannot spell a simple word like ridiculous or supposed..............and this site even lets you preview what you wrote before you actually post it.
I know the new "cool thing" is to spell it rediculous and sapposed I have tennagers in my house but this is a very serious matter better left to your parents or guardians.
You kids should just be teenagers and try to have fun during this sad time not post on here.
fbxjeff,
I sympathize with, and even support, some of your sentiments. If someone harmed one of my kids with this sort of nonsense, I would hunt down each and every one of them, and leave a hole in the center of each of their foreheads. No remorse. None.
But on a sometimes-very-busy, late-afternoon city street, the number one rule of shooting applies more than ever; know your background. What's on your horizon? 20 automobiles with other non-involved persons inside, going home or on errands? Pedestrians and bicyclists on the shoulders and sidewalks?
Sounds like a terrible circumstance under which to attempt to administer 'instant karma.' Way too much room for someone to get clipped who didn't need the burden.
Mr. Gorman and Mr. Throop;
The War On (Some) Drugs has been waged for well over 35 years now, being started initially by Dick Nixon and amped up during the Reagan era. Gangs were not involved in most of the early U.S. drug activity. It was laissez faire capitalism. The more attention and strong-arm suppression has been applied to that trade, the greater the political posturing during elections, the more agencies dedicated to it, the more gangs have found a mechanism to pay for their schemes and lifestyles; just as it was during the 1920s and the early experiment with alcohol prohibition.
Apparently the government (and the People) have learned little from their historical experiences with this form of 'vice control.' It fails almost every time.
It's, in essence, what ended alcohol prohibition. Same dynamics. **Except Thompsons and Colts were likely superior collector-grade items than CZs or AKs (my personal bias, of course.. Today's gang-bangers are slumming, in comparison, when it comes to their common weapons selections).
You can have the dysfunctional, quasi-puritanism of the war on drugs, which indirectly provides a market for the gang-bangers to buy firearms and cars, or you can adopt a harm-reduction, medically-defined/medically-oriented model for dealing with these vices (models with greater success than the fabled and failed DARE, and similar programs, I might add), boot the inherent quasi-puritanism to the curb, and take away the funding sources that dozens of these gangs rely on. Gangs that typically don't care one way or the other if your or my families die tomorrow. Your choice. But you get only one. 35 years of the 'war on drugs' has shown that fairly clearly, hasn't it?
We are all on our own here. AST and the other boys and girls in blue need to solve a crime of substance. Start with... one! I realize the 'code of silence' exists that thwarts most investigations. We need young undercover types to get at the 'treats' business and lets at least bust the thieves who are really getting cocky. Your life must be in immediate danger to LEGALLY start tossing rounds.
I'm a grown @$$ woman. You're so worried about grammer and spelling, why dont you comment on the story and stop wasting space. All you've done while posting comments is complain about people's spelling. Get over yourself. For it being a sad and serious situation, you're paying attention to something so petty?
Back to what these postings are sapposed to be about...
Right when i write about the dude they update the story. I'm glad to find out that one of these punks were caught. Question is will he stay there????
(Clyde was that to many question marks for you?)
ArmyBrat, I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong, but a cop can "charge" a person with whatever they think the charges should be, but the Prosecutor gets to decide what they can make stick and a lot of times the Prosecutors are the ones to blame and not the police. I am not saying that is the case here, necessarily, but the prosecutors decide if there is enough evidence. The cops simply haul them into the jail and chose the initial charges.
I don't think we are being hard enough on criminals. I think if they were held responsible for their crimes and actually spent time in jail not the Holiday Inn, people might start thinking twice about pulling some of these stunts.
how about all of you quit writin these comments.
cause only i know what im talkin aboutt.
hehe-
geez armybratt chill outt.
there's never goin to be and ENd.
get over it.
Well if you are right then maybe it's time to get new prosecutors that actually care about our well being. All the drug trafficing and voilence going on and there's not enough evidence? I dind that hard to believe. For anything to be done, they're gunna have to shoot in front of a cop for him to see it.
I quit reading these posts a while ago, but I will go back and read them. I just thought I would inform you why anything and everything is classified as gang related (although it could be}. Is when you classify it that way you are intitled to federal grants. one more way to get on the big t*t.
I will say that a jury of ones peers in Fairbanks will not find one guilty of nothing if they were to defend them self against any of these punks. I would say it is doing their community service and saving tax dollars. I hope they call for me to serve on one of these needed cases. Need to pressure our official into action.
It is very interesting to see the bickering in the blog. And last night it was a major gun battle in Aurora area off College Road. It is obvious to me the bloggers are not living down in gang land.
We need new laws that prevent the judicial system from letting the gangs off the hook when their busted.
Fairbanks police have been working around the clock since a gang-related shootout Friday afternoon on College Road
I thought they worked around the clock every day, my error?
just because these soldiers fight for our country doesn't give them the right to commit crimes with their gang's in this town or any other town and as far as 50% of the crime committed in town are by natives where did that information come from ?
We all know the police are doing everything they can on this issue and the justice system is slow
Justice takes time to get this gangs off the street legally
I say we all use and implement a strict gun control---
Hit your target the same place 3 times in a row
Like I have mentioned before
--Don't go looking for trouble
But never allow yourself to become a victim and be proactive
Aim straight and true to protect yourself and your family!!
Bugger-
They work around the clock on Traffic Enforcement not major crimes or property crimes.
Remember the days when people openly carried rifles and hand guns in downtown. Maybe returning to some of the past isn't such a bad idea. I pretty sure if all the gun owners in the Borough did this, we would out number gang members.
allowing military personal to act this way is one reason our perception around the world is sliding.
No one allows military people to act this way. How can you allow anyone to do anything? People do what they want to do.
Amazing. And when all the miltary leave here and you still have a gang problem? Who will you blame then?
I agree there is too much complaining about spelling. I know lots of people that make 30 dollars a hour and can't spell. That is just plain stupid to think that anyone productive needs to be a good speller.
It isn't just military and the law enforcement does know who commits gang related activity and they do nothing about it. There has been a local gang that beats up innocent people all the time and their specialty is kicking people in the head. They are punks and cowards that the police continue to protect. The police know exactly who they are. Police lie to get indictments and lie again in courts of law to protect the gangs and put innocent people in jail. Not all cops are crooked but a few bad apples can do a lot of damage to cleaning up our streets. I know of some very dedicated and honest city cops and troopers. Those bad apples know who you are. But the code of secrecy keeps our law enforcement from improving and doing a better job, they need to police themselves first and get rid of their garbage before they can get rid of the street garbage.
I do have a gun and would use it if needed. Most of our problems we can blame on TV and Hollywood gangster glamorization. (Did I spell that right?)
Wayuphere,
Theres a difference from the natives that come from the villages and populate 2nd avenue than these so called wannabe thugs, they do not shoot bullets at each other! I myself am very scared that this is going on in such a great community, I felt way safer here in Fairbanks than in Anchorage or any other big city, not that is changed and that is unfortunate. As for these "gangster" they are playing into the stereotypical black gangsters, so much for progress. I say they should go back to the lower 48 to keep the real alaskans safe. Any more instances and I might just have to go back to the village, where despite the "drunken natives" as some would say, I would feel 100% safer
JB: Our perception around the world is slipping because too many Americans want to complain about our country. Instead of banding together and uniting the country, people want to bad mouth every thing that is done. During WWI and WWII the reason we, as a country, were able to win was because every American supported the cause and pitched in to help win. Today we find more complaining and griping which plays right into the enemies hands. I wonder why most of the Muslim world is supporting Obama? Things that should make every American think long and hard come election day.
In truth the military does NOT take high school drop outs and only accept GED students occassionally when the window openss. Most of the men and women who join want a BETTER life. They aren't hiding from the so called REAL world they are signing on to CONFRONT and make it a BETTER place through their service while getting a college degree at the same time during their service which they use when they return to civillian life bringing those skills to the community they CHOOSE to settle into.
A few inbeciles are found everywhere whether in civillian or even a military community. The conduct of a few shouldn't be used as a weopon to condemn an entire population. I'm sure the commander will punish these idiots but that won't solve the issues of gang violence in fairbanks because it seems most of those involved were within the civillian sector. Where there are drugs there will be gangs. No one is immune to this hard fact of life.
I deeply appreciate those of you whom acknowledge and stand by the military although you may not agree with the governments reasons for sending them overseas. Your support makes the sacrifices we endure for the country well worth it. I can't thank you enough and YES we DO notice.:)
military spouses. EVERY single one them is gangsta, don't cha no?
Did I get my shorthand right? ;)
My tongue in cheek response was to: "Amazing. And when all the miltary leave here and you still have a gang problem? Who will you blame then?"...which I also know was a repartee.
Apparently a busy board...took to long to respond from when I originally started reading the ramblings...
I absolutely agree 'United we stand, divided we fall'. Our Country needs to band together but I don't know if that will ever be possible again. Sadly, I believe we are too divided now to ever come together on anything.
What is funny about all of the gangsta wanna be's is that they have a parent(s). I am amazed at the number of kids running around at all hours of the night with no supervision. Some parent(s) somewhere probably have no idea where there kids are at or what they are doing. When the police bring them home the parent(s) immediately go into denial. If you have kids ask them where they are going? Who are they going with? Where are they going? Give them a curfew. It is not the community's responsibility to parent your kids. More parents need to be involved in their kids life and be nosy. It is your job and responsibility. You brought them into the world!
Big Dan
Better parenting would definitely take care of most of these problems but parents are too busy doing their own thing and just indulging their kids in place of actual parenting. Kids also don't learn how to work since there are fewer family business and less subsistence (which I believe is due to State imposed regulations and mismanagement of things like fisheries).
Kids are being raised by TV, videos, video games, degrading music and a lack of 'family'. We are destroying our Country from within.
Someone asked me what I meant by the community bends over backwards for our military. Well we have military appreciation day and the newspaper covers base events in a postive light. Many stores give substantial military discounts. The schools on the bases are geared to serve military dependents. Although the base has a veterinary facility, members of the military routinely dump their pets at our borough shelter on their way out of here at taxpayer expense. The base has a representative at school board meetings. So these are an example of some of the things we do for the military. And I don't oppose them and for sure, most of the military are not bad people or gangsters. But reading the update of this article, it appears that the military knew they had a gang problem and swept it under the rug rather than working proactively to get rid of the problem. And now, innocent people are getting shot at, 4 in the afternoon in the middle of town. If I were the base commander, I would be giving a statement that I was personally working around the clock to identify these thugs and remove them from the community pronto and make my base a zero tolerance to gangs installation--mess around, you end up in a brig somewhere.