Here is another one from the Tacoma News Tribune:
Tacoma police announce crackdown after East Side gang violence
Share this storyBuzz up!
STACEY MULICK; The News Tribune
Published: 07/17/09 2:57 pm | Updated: 07/17/09 3:12 pm
Comments (0)
Tacoma police commanders have moved more uniformed officers into the East Side after a recent flurry of gang-related trouble and a deadly shooting.
“We are going to do it until we feel we’ve had the impact to stop or decrease this more recent activity,” Assistant Chief Bob Sheehan said.
In response to the violence, the department:
* Moved its 17 community liaison officers to the East Side to work “high profile patrol.”
* Shifted the department’s 16 motorcycle officers to the East Side to be visible and respond to suspicious activity.
* Ordered detectives and undercover officers to gather information and intelligence to share with patrol officers and commanders.
* Asked the regional gang task force made up of officers from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Lakewood police and other local law enforcement agencies to focus on the East Side this weekend.
* Enlisted help from the South Sound Gang Task Force, which is headed by the FBI and has members from area law enforcement agencies, the state Department of Corrections and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The beefed-up patrols, which began Thursday, will work with Tacoma police officers on regular patrol and the department’s gang unit to clamp down on gang violence.
Gang-related trouble has been on the uptick in recent weeks but escalated after Sunday’s homicide and called for an immediate response, Sheehan said.
“Right now, because of the activity we are dealing with, we have to focus on suppression,” he said. “Our concern is the safety of the citizens of Tacoma and to suppress this gang activity.”
The fatal shooting happened in the 5500 block of East G Street, where Alrick Hendricks, 18, was killed during a confrontation in the street Prosecutors have charged Xavier Magana, also 18, with first-degree murder in the shooting.
The homicide had gang-related undertones, police said. The two teens had ties to East Side gangs, at least in the past, investigators said.
In the days since, police have responded to at least five gang-related drive-by shootings on the East Side and South End. No one has been injured, but property was damaged and residents saddened or frightened.
Gayle Reis, a longtime East Side resident, knew Hendricks and Magana and others who’ve been killed.
“I am just sad about our neighborhood,” she said. “We have kids dying all the time over here. How many of these do we have to go through?”
The spike gang violence came as the Police Department’s been working to revamp and bolster its strategic plan to fight the continued activity. Sheehan has been retooling the plan for the past few months and hopes to incorporate other city departments and community organizations to quell the gang activity and prevent more youths from veering toward that lifestyle.
The extra officers in the current crackdown are working their regular shifts and will respond to suspicious activity and help patrol officers. Sheehan wants them to be visible on the streets.
“People should see (the presence) out there,” he said.
The Police Department expects to soon receive federal grant money that will allow officers to work overtime on curfew enforcement missions and party patrols. Sheehan said the department also is in line for state grant money to work on gang enforcement.
“This will give us a one-two punch,” he said. “It’s going to be great to have that money.”
Sheehan is asking for the community’s help, too. He wants residents to report suspicious and criminal activity to the gang hot line at 253-594-STOP (253-594-7867).
He doesn’t want the gang outbreak to over take the East Side’s crime-prevention efforts. Earlier this year the city expanded its community-based services program in the neighborhood. The program provides services and advise to residents trying to clean up and fix issues in the neighborhood.
“We do not want them to take a step back,” Sheehan said. “We’ve got to stop (the gang violence) and make every effort to get control of it.”
Cold-blooded killing is an everyday thing for the bangers.
Prosecutors: Teen gunned down after being challenged to fight
By KOMO Staff
StoryTwitterFacebook Summary
Tacoma police are looking for 18-year-old Xavier M. Magana, who they say challenged another teen to a fight Sunday evening and then fatally shot him as he tried to run away. Investigators said Magana knew the victim and had been beaten up by him in the past.
Story Published: Jul 14, 2009 at 1:16 PM PST
Xavier M. Magana (the killer)
TACOMA, Wash. — Police here have issued an arrest warrant for an 18-year-old man accused of gunning down another teenager Sunday night.
Xavier M. Magana has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Alrick Hendricks.
According to court documents, Hendricks was at a graduation party at a home in the 600 block of East 56th Street on Sunday when Magana walked by and challenged Hendricks to a fight.
Investigators said the two knew each other, and Hendricks had beaten up Magana in an earlier fight.
On Sunday, the two teens walked about a block away from the home to fight, and Hendricks’ step-mom showed up to plead with him to leave, the documents said.
Witnesses told police that Magana pulled out a handgun and shot Hendricks as he tried to run away.
Magana then ran up and stood over the wounded teen before firing another shot into Hendricks’ body at close range, the court documents said.
The gunman ran off and remains at large.
Police arrived about 8:20 p.m. and found Hendricks on the ground suffering from multiple gun shot wounds. He died at the scene.
According to prosecutors, Magana has been arrested previously for drug and weapons violations.
A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with a tip is asked to call Crime-Stoppers at 253-591-5959.
Wow, if this is Gang related then it is war.
Death and prison are not deterrents for lawless gang members.
” 17 Community Laison Officers” - that will do the job. rolls eyes.
Thanks for your added information.
Had to run out - back and catching up on the news about this horrific crime.
Pinging Marmema and Just Lori - who know this area - because of the information about gangs in the general area (evidently).,..not saying the killings ARE definitely gang related.,,,just that gang activity in this area evidently has been on the increase.