East Palo Alto Police Chief Wants Meeting With Gang Leaders
EAST PALO ALTO (KCBS) – East Palo Alto police Chief Ron Davis is preparing to call in gang members who may have been involved in a deadly shooting last weekend, which claimed the life of a 16-year-old.
Davis is organizing a face-to-face meeting with some of the Norteno gang members believed to be responsible for opening fire on a car full of teenagers on Sunday night, killing 16-year-old Jose Quinones. It was the city's 5th homicide of the year.
East Palo Alto Police Chief Wants Meeting With Gang Leaders
"We're really trying to look at this violence problem, this violence disease, and attack from multiple sides," said Melvin Gaines, the police department's Operation Cease Fire Coordinator.
Gaines said at the meeting that members of the community will try to convince the Norteno gang members that their internal gang war is tearing families apart.
"It's bigger than you and your enemies. It hurts the community as a whole. This hurts future generations," said Gaines. "We want to let them know we're here to help you."
If the gang members do not accept the services offered, then they will be threatened with a full court crackdown from local, state and even federal authorities.
East Palo Alto is partnering with other Peninsula police departments to try to beef up daily patrols in the city.
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