Out of Control Kids Terrorize Mound Park Area
The summer break has seen a faction of young people alleging gang affiliation commit shocking acts of violence. The community is in turmoil as families fear their children will not be safe playing outside on these beautiful summer days.
We have been tracking the growth and movement of a local group of young people who claim to be members of a gang for several months.
Most of their crimes involved property crimes, nuisance issues, and suspected drug use by the adults who were supposed to be watching them.
In the days following the end of school for summer break, things began to escalate into overt acts of violence. Despite our reporting on these incidents, SCDN is concerned and reminds families that these incidents are not isolated. There are clear indications that these young people are involved in violent criminal activities.
All of these serious incidents occurred within the first eight days of summer vacation. The following is a chronological order of events.
On Franklin Avenue, a large-scale fight was reported with several guns present. There has been a history of these fights for some time. The focus is on the past eight days, however.
The next issue to be addressed is the report of young adults in the park causing a disturbance, taunting passing cars, and even exposing private parts in public.
The same day, another large-scale fight erupted. This time the incident occurred near Highland Headstart. During this fight, a person was struck in the head with a ball bat.
An ambulance was not dispatched, as the victim was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle. In spite of this, SOMC informed police that a person claimed to have been hit with a ball bat in the head and was in the emergency room.
Tragically, the situation turned deadly with the murder of a 17-year-old boy. All signs pointed toward a member of this group. A police search was conducted at a home believed to be the “headquarters” of this organization.
According to an investigation of the homeowner, there are disturbing trends that would explain how this type of behavior is, at best, ignored.
This rapid escalation of property crimes, harassment, lewd conduct, street fighting, and now a potential murder (again, within just the last eight days) should cause citizens and law enforcement to be on high alert.
This statement was issued exclusively to SCDN by the leadership of the Mound Park Neighborhood Watch. “We encourage neighbors to watch out for each other and the safety of each other, and especially our children.”
In an interview with SCDN, a concerned citizen who has been familiar with this group’s activities since its inception stated, “I’d like to say that residents of Portsmouth feel that the LE doesn’t do anything, so they don’t make that call to dispatch. They don’t want to get involved or the standard reply, “why call – nothing gets done?”
SCDN spoke with 4th Ward City Councilperson Lyvette Mosely. Ms. Mosely said, “I have noticed that the crime has picked up. These are perilous times. We all have to watch and pray and look out for one another. Our police officers will continue to do the great job that they have been doing. The law is for the lawless.”
The 3rd Ward City Councilperson, Andy Cole, said, “The “why call” mentality is sad. Nothing ever improves when people feel like their efforts are ignored.”
The community faces a daunting challenge to safeguard its harmony and safety amid escalating violence by these out-of-control youth. Let us unite, remain vigilant, and support law enforcement in their efforts to restore peace and protect our loved ones.
