Community Meeting Over Gang Violence Gets Heated Following Deadly Weekend
DENVER (CBS4) - Police and city officials gathered Monday evening with the community to try and figure out how to stop the latest rash of gang violence.
Four people in Denver were shot and killed in roughly 24 hours -- police say three of them are gang-related. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says its violence that will not be tolelrated
"If you disrupt peace in our city and you perpetrate violence like this in our city, we will find you and we will hold you accountable," Hancock said.
Deanthony Clyde Williams, 30, and Tyrael Lamar Adams, 28, died after being shot outside the Lex on Lowry Apartments. Jeffrey Turner Starkes was killed just hours later at a home on Pontiac Street.
RELATED: 2 People Killed In Shooting At Apartment Complex In Lowry Neighborhood
Starkes' family spoke via video at Monday's community meeting addressing the recent rise in gang violence.
"He was done … he wasn't doing that (gang activity) no more," a family member said.
The meeting and discussion at times got heated as former and alleged current members from two of the city's most notorious gangs weighed on the issue.
"We're talking about four murders yesterday," a man yelled at the meeting.
"How can you be an expert when you don't know what's going on here?" another man said.
Police Chief Robert White also spoke out. He said they've brought in additional resources and are doing everything they can to curb the violence. Both he and the mayor say it will take the community's involvement before it stops.
"If you see something, hear something -- say something," Hancock said.
White said eight of Denver's 12 homicides this year have been gang-related, but couldn't say if they are all connected. But he did acknowledge that there has been friction between rival gangs stemming from last November.
