Pubdate: Thu, 07 Jan 2016
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Nick Eagland
Page: 3

WILLIAMS LAKE LEADERS SEEK HELP TO END GANG WAR

The chief of an Interior reserve has put out a call for help after a
shooting Saturday that allegedly involved two aboriginal gangs waging
a deadly street war.

Two men were hurt Jan. 2 in a targeted shooting in Williams Lake,
according to local RCMP. Mounties arrived at the scene to find one man
possibly suffering life-threatening injuries and another with minor
injuries. No arrests have been made.

RCMP said the shooting appears to be related to the street-level drug
trade and a longtime dispute between two groups.

Chief Joe Alphonse of the Anaham Reserve in Alexis Creek said the men
involved were from Anaham and the Soda Creek First Nation.

"Talking about gangs in general, I think there's a couple of
communities that should be targeted and need help in dealing with
this," Alphonse said. "But ... it seems whenever you try to deal with
the government it falls on deaf ears. Whenever there's an incident,
for a week or two there's a big outpouring of concern and then it all
dies down until the next incident."

Alfonse said he gives Williams Lake Mayor Walter Cobb and council
credit for working with other governments, but said the violence won't
be solved by "intimidating" the groups involved.

"... The current court systems are not working and failing us, failing
our people, and we have to come up with a different system," Alphonse
said. "... You have to go to the communities and talk to the
individuals that have to deal with these issues on a regular basis."

Chief Donna Dixon of Soda Creek was unavailable Wednesday.

Locals have said the dispute involves rival gangs 712 and the Indian
Outlaws. Cobb said Saturday's shooting appears to have been in
retaliation for the slaying one year ago of 22-year-old Jesse (Delmer)
Frank, who grew up at the Anaham Reserve. He called the situation
"very, very frustrating," particularly because those involved aren't
co-operating with police.

"These guys have to realize that they were out to kill them, and they
weren't successful this time around," Cobb said. "But if they don't
start telling the RCMP who shot them, it's going to happen again."

Cobb said council will meet later this month with Attorney General
Suzanne Anton to establish a pilot program to address the violence.

Their focus will be getting prolific offenders into custody - where
they can get treatment or remain in jail - and working with at-risk
youth and adults, some of whom are battling fetal-alcohol syndrome,
addictions and poor mental health.

Cobb believes the threat of violence is limited to the dispute between
the poorly organized gangs. Insp. Milo MacDonald of the Williams Lake
RCMP said he believes fewer than 20 people are behind the vast
majority of crime in the community.

Police are working to make it difficult for them to commit crimes
through enforcement and connecting them with services, he said.

"If they indicate an interest in leaving that lifestyle, then we're
really going to be supportive of trying to get them to a place where
that's not their only option," he said.

MacDonald said an overall drop in crime in the city last year was
related to the incarceration of many of these offenders. Alphonse said
the violence needs to end. "I ask anyone with information to come
forward and if they want assistance in telling whatever they may know
- - and don't feel comfortable going to the authorities - come see us,"
he said.

"Our biggest fear is that once a person's life is taken, this type of
retaliation will never stop."

The RCMP is asking anyone with information about Saturday's shooting
to call 250-392-6211 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477 (TIPS).
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