This year in particular, some of our gangs in that part of the city that have been very active. They have been responsible for a lot of the violent activity going on the east side of town. We've had several homicides and tons of drive-bys. It starts a perpetuating cycle. It's hard to stop sometimes, until you get both sides locked up.”
Tim Hock,
an Oklahoma City police gang investigator
and president of the Oklahoma Gang
Investigators Association
It's discouraging to know our children are involved in this type of activity, but it is our responsibility as a community to redirect them. We are making every effort to do so.”
Deena Thomas,
a former Douglass Mid-High School
English teacher whose former student,
Israel Jackson, was shot to death in June.
Thomas grew up on the northeast side
and returns to tutor at Prospect Baptist Church.
It's not like ‘West Side Story.'”
Lt. Dean Lindsey,
on violent street gangs operating in Oklahoma City.
Lindsey was with Frances Ruth Madison, 52,
when she died at the hospital after being shot
Oct. 8 in a driveway at 3232 NE 15.
We're in the heart of the 'hood. We're here on purpose. Every day you're going to see homeless people walking. You see lots of things, definitely drug activity going on. Prostitution, you name it. You're going to see it in our neighborhood.”
Youth pastor DeWayne Walker,
who founded a nonprofit called Earthquake
to facilitate events like the weekly Youth J.A.M.
(Jesus and Me) at Prospect Baptist Church.
The program gives children
a safe and positive place to go.
