Atlanta officials say criminals more violent, better organized

By ERIC STIRGUS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

About 300 Atlanta residents, fearful that gang crime is overtaking city streets, got a glimpse of what they’re facing Saturday.

They saw a picture of a man who was hogtied and strangled to death. There was a photo of another dead man crouched inside his car, his white shirt stained with blood.

There was also the story of a man who was shot as he leaped off the balcony of his home. They heard the commandments of a Bloods “gang bible” that spoke of how “we will kill our enemies.”

Residents said the pictures and stories — brought by Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard — further strengthened their resolve to combat such violence and better defend themselves.

The three-hour community crime summit at First Iconium Baptist Church in southeast Atlanta was put together in response to a recent rash of violent crimes in the city highlighted by the shooting death of former boxing champion Vernon Forrest.

In response to widespread complaints that police weren’t doing enough to combat the crime, Police Chief Richard Pennington announced a plan two weeks ago that includes increasing the Police Department’s gang unit from six to 24 officers and conducting more sweeps of high-crime areas.

“Any time you have more police officers on the street, you have more visibility,” he said Saturday at the summit.

Howard credited the chief for his accessibility. Pennington has been criticized as not being visible enough in the aftermath of some major incidents, such as the Forrest shooting.

“[Pennington] never shies away from his obligations,” Howard said.

The district attorney said that the city is seeing criminals who are more violent and better organized.

“We don’t have one person breaking into a store,” Howard said. “We now have eight people.”

He added that gang leaders are doing much of their recruiting inside the Fulton County Jail.

Organizers held breakout sessions during which they showed residents how to spot signs that their child is in a gang, how to defend themselves and how to start a Neighborhood Watch program.

“I think we need to do something to ensure our safety,” said Rosa L. Smith, 66, an East Atlanta resident who came to the summit to learn how to start a Neighborhood Watch.

Smith called the violence she’s read and heard about recently “very scary.”

Speakers stressed in the sessions that residents must do a better job of mentoring young people to keep them out of trouble and not buy stolen merchandise. The speakers also said people must make better decisions, such as not going to the ATM at midnight.

“You are a victim waiting for a perpetrator,” said summit organizer Derrick Boazman, a former Atlanta city councilman.

Residents learned self-defense techniques, such as stomping on someone’s foot and hitting him in the groin if he grabs you from behind.

“What do you do after that?” asked instructor Steven Muhammad.

“Take off and yell, ‘Fire,’ ” the participants answered in unison.

Several mayoral candidates and elected officials attended the summit. Boazman said there will be more sessions in the future. Howard said his office is preparing an anti-gang summit in September.

Organizers said parents must communicate better with young people, as some noted there were few youths at Saturday’s meeting. Damarco Rogers, 13, who was asked to speak at the meeting, noted he recently had to step in front of a vehicle that nearly ran over two small children.

“We’ve got to look out for each other,” he said.