Neighbors Concerned About Rising Gang Violence
Neighbors Concerned About Rising Gang Violence Save Email Print
Posted: 3:39 PM Apr 9, 2008
 Last Updated: 4:36 PM Apr 9, 2008
 Reporter: Dave Spencer
Email Address: dave.spencer@wkyt.com
25 comments
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A number of recent shootings in the Cardinal Valley neighborhood have people living on edge after police look into gang activity.

While Lexington Police are looking for the suspects in a drive by shooting and the people responsible for shooting an 18 year old at Valley park, neighbors are concerned things are getting worse.

The drive by happened Tuesday night at a home on Devonport Drive. Witnesses saw two men fire guns out of a black Pontiac Grand Am at around 6:30. No one was hit but it raises concerns among some neighbors who say this isn't the first time this house has been a target.

During the most recent snow storm, neighbors say the home's door was riddled with bullets.

The Cardinal Valley neighborhood has been making headlines for being the site of the first murder of 2008. On January 2nd of this year Alberto Calderon was shot and killed on Cambridge Drive.

Members of the Community Action Council say while they are part of a gang coalition, they don't feel there is a gang problem in Lexington.

Catrena Lewis says, "...it's just an emmergence of small groups that sort of identify themselves as gangs."

Lewis encourages anyone with concerns to attend the next Neighborhood Association Meeting on April 28th at 7:00pm at the Calvary Church.
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Posted by: vaughan Location: paducah on Apr 18, 2008 at 07:38 AM
Silly people
Posted by: JV Location: Lexington on Apr 12, 2008 at 02:48 PM
The fact of the matter is, there is a real gang problem in Cardinal Valley. "Little Tiajuana" I like to call it. You solve that by sending nearly the entire police force over there with buses in tow, and go door to door, and round up these drags on society "AKA ILLEGALS" and send them back to the 3rd world where they belong. You also send all of the citizens harboring them right along with them. To offset the cost of such an endeavor you put them all in a work camp for a year or two working on some of Lexington's and the state's roads before you deport them. I agree that most of the rest of Lexington's gang problem resolves around a bunch of idiotic teenagers with no real gang affiliation. They need to be brought back to reality. They need to be shown the harsh realities of real gang life. Their parents should also be held accountable for letting them act like idiots.
Posted by: Steve Location: Lexington on Apr 12, 2008 at 06:41 AM
And Mayor Newberry just cut the police department by 25 officers, this will certainly help them get a hold on the gang problem. Hold on people, it's going to get MUCH worse in the future without proper law enforcement staffing to combat the problem. Drive-bys and bodies in the ditchline will become a regular thing in Lexington along the gang's boundary lines and our city government has already shown us by the budget that they plan on doing nothing to stop it. Why don't we, as Americans, learn from our mistakes. LA did the same thing. Gangs popped up, funding was cut for the PD, the problem was not addressed until the bloodbaths began...you can't operate that way if you won't let your police department be PROACTIVE (head it off before it happens) instead of REACTIVE (respond when it's too late).
Posted by: Fed up Location: floyd county on Apr 11, 2008 at 08:40 AM
Gangs are just organized groups of COWARDS! they do crimes in groups because their afraid to do stuff on their own or their just too stupid to do it by their self. it also takes a real coward to drive by and shoot someone then run like a little baby! Come on you cowards be a man and face reality. did'nt your parents teach you anything about making choices. at least mine taught me how not to be a coward!
Posted by: ??? Location: KKentuckky on Apr 10, 2008 at 08:29 PM
this is stupid ...joey think before you write dumb stuff it was a fight between the bloodz( i dont think there is any illegals in that gang) and some chicago gang where almsot all of the ones in that gang are form chicago and where born there....and catrena lewis somehting is wrong with that woman if these gangs are killing people then it is a problem how can people act so stupid!! these arent small groups if you actually payed attention to them you can see that these are actuaclly big gangs with alot of memebers and they are nto all latino so people need to stop being racist all the time...just because someone is latino it doesn tmean that they are illegal like joey thinks
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 at 07:14 PM
i think theres gangs ever where. i not seen in in my county but im shore there r some
Posted by: SICK OF IT Location: SOMERSET on Apr 10, 2008 at 02:24 PM
IT'S SO SAD THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO WALK DOWN THERE OWN STREET, IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CARE MORE ABOUT ITS USEFUL CITIZENS THINGS MIGHT GET BETTER, IF THEY WOULD HAVE A COUPLE OLD TIME COURT HOUSE HANGINGS AND MAKE THE ENTIRE TOWN COME WATCH, THE KILLERS AND RAPIST MIGHT THINK TWICE, BUT INSTEAD THEY SET ON DEATH ROW FOR 40 YEARS AND USE OUR TAX DOLLARS TO GET AN EDUCATION, WHAT DOES A RAPIST NEED A DEGREE FOR? IT'S USELESS AND THEY DONT DESERVE IT ANYWAY. PRISON IS TOO MUCH OF A VACATION FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST A MENUS TO SOCIETY. CRIME IS JUST GOING TO GET WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT STEPS UP AND TAKES CHARGE.
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 at 01:12 PM
This reporter is kidding aren't they? I think they should recheck their facts...the Bloods and the Crips are the gangs in that area. I know that and I don't live in the neighborhood!
Posted by: Banger Location: South Siiiide on Apr 10, 2008 at 01:07 PM
That's how we roll!
Posted by: MJ Location: CENTRAL KY on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:31 AM
atually there are gangs( or people who affliate themselves with these groups) in estill and surrounding countys. I know kids as young as 13 in estill co, who think it's cool. It has became a fad for middle school kids, and if the state doesn't step up and get this under control now, they might as well start building more prisons...this problem wont go away, gangs or otherwise, we have to get the violence under control...
Posted by: Spanky Location: Our Gang on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:28 AM
We used to be the Our Gang but we were ratted out and eventually became the Little Rascals. Wow in Richmond is part of a gang; it's called the Ministry of Silly People (not to be confused with the Ministry of Silly Walks). A few more comments like his and he'll be the President of the WOW club (Widiculous Ornary Wabbits) wahahahahahahahaha. I learned that from Elmer.
Posted by: Toe/Jam Location: Gang Headquarters on Apr 10, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Hey Wow, ain't you ever heard of the Cornbread Mafia? How about the Welfare Gang? American gangs have been using the system so long that they have become non-violent, give the Latino's a decade or so and they will be on the dole and semi non- violent as well. Lexington is and will suffer because of all the librel attitudes in that town and I just love watching that town rot!
Posted by: Wow Location: Richmond on Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38 AM
@Mr. Obvious Location: "ANYWHERE THERE IS POVERTY, ANYWHERE THERE IS ISOLATIONISM WHETHER SELF IMPOSED OR FORCED FROM THE OUTSIDE, THERE WILL BE GANGS." So your sayin theres gangs thriving in Estill county and jackson county and garrad county and so on and so on? Please do some logical thinking and reading BEFORE BEING DUMB IN PUBLIC. Does using all caps get your attention?
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 at 06:46 AM
Just look the other way about gang activity and before you know it your knee deep in (edited). Getting rid of the illegals would help. Ultra liberal views are bringing this country down to it's knees.
Posted by: Concerned Location: Lexington on Apr 10, 2008 at 05:28 AM
That's sad that the Comm. Action doesn't believe there's a gang problem. By the time they do realize it, things will be way past getting under control. You have to start early to stop something like this!
Posted by: Pedro Location: Guadalajara on Apr 10, 2008 at 04:55 AM
Even the biggest gangs started small, amigo!
Posted by: Joey Location: Lex on Apr 10, 2008 at 03:49 AM
Not only are there gangs, but they are illegal immigrants in those gangs. Until our mayor decides to tackle the problem of illegals in our city, the only recourse is to take the law into your own hands. If are threatened or attacked, make sure you protect yourself to the fullest. It is not the fault of the police; their hands are tied. I know if they were allowed to do their job, they would jump at the chance. They understand that being here illegally is breaking the law but until government says we can do something, the police are just as fed up as we are.
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 9, 2008 at 10:12 PM
If Lexington wasnt so liberal, we wouldnt be having these problems.
Posted by: Wow Location: Richmond on Apr 9, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Everyday some group of busbodys are afraid of something in their neighborhood. The other day it was vultures now its wanna be gangsters. Im sure that for every 1 of the maybe 50-100 real affiliates or former bangers theres 500 little punk kids that wanna claim and act gangsta but really are just runnin their mouths like punks do. Dont gangsters usually target other gansters these days anyways? After all gang wars are over territory not average joe living in a bad neighborhood. Killing at randoms bad for business and gets ya life.
Posted by: Phil Location: Lexington on Apr 9, 2008 at 09:55 PM
This is nothing new. Gangs are indeed alive and well in Lexington. There are several 100 even possibly several 1000 people in this city associated with gangs. The biggest threat to this community is not from primarily african american gangs, but latino gangs. These latino gangs in Lexington need to be stomped out through any means neccessary. Everyone in this state can practice open carry of a deadly weapon. I suggest more people in Lexington start as a way to deter these low lifes from committing crime in our community.
Posted by: Mr. Obvious Location: KY on Apr 9, 2008 at 08:54 PM
"Members of the Community Action Council say while they are part of a gang coalition, they don't feel there is a gang problem in Lexington." WAKE UP AND SMELL THE SPRAY PAINT! ANYWHERE THERE IS POVERTY, ANYWHERE THERE IS ISOLATIONISM WHETHER SELF IMPOSED OR FORCED FROM THE OUTSIDE, THERE WILL BE GANGS. THERE ARE GANGS IN LEXINGTON, AND THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE UNTIL THE LFUCG ADMITS IT AND GIVES THE CORRECT EQUIPMENT, SUPPORT, AND TRAINING TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
Posted by: Fred Location: Lexington on Apr 9, 2008 at 06:42 PM
and to think. Cardinal Valley is such an upscale neighborhood...
Posted by: James Location: Lexington on Apr 9, 2008 at 06:38 PM
We don't have an illegal immigrant issue in Cardinal Valley.......so guess there are no gangs there either. The new budget says we have no problems, don't need those additional police and fire. All is good!
Posted by: DS on Apr 9, 2008 at 06:21 PM
"Members of the Community Action Council say while they are part of a gang coalition, they don't feel there is a gang problem in Lexington." Someone is shot by a gang member... and there is no concern? What more does it take to raise a concern?
Posted by: Valley Hood Rat Location: Latin King Valley on Apr 9, 2008 at 04:16 PM
These gangs have been here for a while and just what has the divisin of police done about it? Mayor Towerberry? Gonna teach them to BOX? Gimme a forkin break. Teach them how to drop to thier knees with hands on thier heads fingers interlaced.
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