SHELBY, N.C.,None — Shelby police confirmed at a Project Safe Neighborhoods meeting Monday that graffiti was spray-painted on a house in western Shelby.
Snapshots of the graffiti show the words "Live by the gun, die by the gun." A pitchfork was painted between the word "boss."
The pitchfork insignia is connected to the Crip gang culture, Shelby Police Lt. Tim Walker said.
The house is located on Blanton Street.
"The tagging was an isolated incident," Walker said.
No one has been arrested or charged for the graffiti on the house. It's unknown if the graffiti came from a gang member or someone mimicking the culture, Walker said.
Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford said the department's problem-solving unit is conducting a gang assessment of Shelby.
What will police do?
The presence of gang activity fluctuates in Shelby. Ledford said gangs have specific characteristics: They're territorial, organized and loyal. Gang members are known to die for what they believe in, Ledford noted.
Previous groups some labeled as "gangs," like the P-Unit and G-Unit in the early 2000s, Walker said, were more social.
"There's a tremendous amount of gang culture interest in Shelby," Walker said. "What we really don't have is a solid number on how many are a legitimate criminal enterprise."
The department has an outreach coordinator geared toward leading at-risk youth from joining gangs or participating in gang-like activity. The coordinator is funded through a Project Safe Neighborhoods grant, Ledford said.
Teens can also associate with groups or gangs for protection. Ledford said in some cases, kids have substituted gangs for the traditional family structure.
"You have people who act and talk like a gang. Some are even more dangerous than the traditional gangs because they have something to prove," Ledford said. "We treat them all the same."
The unit will complete the Shelby's gang assessment by early 2012. The assessment will detail any gang activity in the area and identify how many people are believed to be gang members. Walker said probation and parole offices keep records on documented gang members.
The police department's ultimate goal is to stay out in front of gang activity, Ledford said.
What is a gang?
Any ongoing organization, association or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal that:
-Has one of its primary activities the commission of one or more felony offenses, or delinquent acts that would be felonies if committed by an adult;
-Has three or more members individually or collectively engaged in, or who have engaged in, criminal street gang activity, and
-May have a common name, common identifying sign or symbol
WSOC
