To all cops and LEO's in general .. Whats your take...

[Iniquity]

My dillema is this, and I've been struggling with the decisions I may have to make for a long time, it literally keeps me up at night, and brings me to the verge of tears.

After watching a few videos of people shooting themselves, and others being shot by other people.. I'll be honest, I don't want to shoot anyone, ever .. But heres my reality.

I live in a neighborhood that I've resided in since I was 6 1/2 years old. It is a nice neighborhood, with a lot of great people who have been very nice to me and my family over the years. But thats all changed.

I hate to sound racist, and believe me, I'm not. But I'm going to tell it like it is. After the hurricane of 2000 struck, and whiped out half the lower east side of my town, which was 'the hood' areas. A lot of people relocated, soon thereafter a lot of people around here moved out, or died, most of the neighborhood were elderly folks, so naturally, new people moved in.. This is when it all began.

(here comes the racist-sounding stuff, so bare with me).
Directly across the street, a group of black people moved in, a 15yr old, his two sisters, and his mother. Three houses down from them, their cousins moved in, A father, two sons, and their mother, about 7 houses down from there, their extended family moved in, they all moved in at about the same time, I guess the price was unbeatable.

I had no problems with anyone at that time, and everything seemed to be moving along fine, no problems. But then a guy named Monte came around, acting tough, feeding the kids bull****, getting them drunk and stoned. He became the 'leader' of what eventually became the 'neihgborhood gang'... Monte once came asking me for a cig, Im not greedy, so I gave em one, a few days, and a few cigs later, I decided to put an end to it and told em I wasn't a gas station, that he'd have to get his own cigs with his own doe. This wasn't something he was ready to here.

That night I had my back windshield busted with a brick... The police couldn't do anything since there was no evidence pointing to whom it was (I inquired about fingerprint checking the brick, but they didn't seem to want to have that option). I did the usual thing, filed a report, nothing happend.

Making a long story short ... These little kids would get together on the weekends, drunk, high, whatever else, gather around the stop sign directly across from my house and make a lotttt of noise... To sum up my damages over the past 4 years:
Busted Windshield
Flat Tires
Busted Front Windows
My mothers Jeep was broken in to, and then her back windshield was busted.
Attempted jumpings (twice) 12v1 (I luckily kept my back to my car, they only got in one sucker punch).

Aside from all that, beer bottles left all over the place, loud noise all times of night, gunshots going off all times of night.. I was so sick of it, we were about ready to move. But my moms been paying off this house since I was 6, and she's not moving, and I damn sure don't want to run. A lot of my neighbors have moved out, because they simply cant stand it anymore. But we decided to stick it out.

I've odviously filed reports on all of these incidents, I've given names, shown them where the guys live, and what their real names are. But each time the cops go looking for them, they somehow illude them. And each time they seem to be busted, they somehow get out of it, due to age, and other ridiculous things I cant begin to understand. A lot of these kids have been in trouble before, but the cases were dismissed, or reschedualed due to 'racism' on part by the police (HAH).

Getting back on track.. Eventually, they decided to be big-boys, and did a driveby on a guy a few blocks from my house, they shot him, but didn't kill him, they hit an innocent little girl and killed her.

Monte's going to be in jail basically the rest of his life ( http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/apps...s&numtimesin=2 )
But the others are still out, walking free...

It's been a few years since that happend, and I still remember it everyday, because that could have been me...

They still do the usual crap, making lots of noise at night, shooting off direclty in front of my house, yelling at all hours of the night... The last time, they shot off 6 shots, the cops came out in about 20 minutes (I didnt call, guess someone else did) .. Six squad cars drove around looking for them, I called 911 and told them to tell the officers where they were, since I saw em run and hide.. But the parents aid them, and lie to the cops.. So they didn't catch anyone.. Literally 1 minute after the police left they came back out, fired off some more shots..

All in all, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of waiting for the police to do something about this, I'm tired of going to pick up the phone, but putting it back down because I know nothing will happen... I've since purchased a .38sp to protect myself with, and I carry it whever I walk my dog, or even go to the mailbox.. I don't know when something will go down, or what will happen..

I don't fear for my own life, I've gotten to the point where I'm so tired of it, my mentality is .. **** it.. they wanna bring it, bring it... I'm not unprotected this time around. But I fear for my moms safety. Honestly, I would have moved out of state by now if it wasnt for them. I feel like I've got to stay here to make sure shes okay, and that they don't try anything when I leave.

They recently stabbed someone in the face (one of their own I believe) and a few were in lockup, but I've seen them out and about since then. Only monte paid for killing that little girl, and even then, his sentence isnt nearly enough..

What I really want to say, or ask you LEO's out there is. What am I supposed to do? Why does the law work this way. If Im put in the position where I may have to fire and kill one of them (If I pull the trigger, Im going to be aiming to kill, no two ways about it). I will then risk my own freedom, my own well being. I've tried to walk a straight line, I have no history with the police, and have never had any run-ins with the law... But these guys have pushed me too far, and so help me if one steps just one toe in my yard I'll shoot them in the face..

I know this is going to sound psychotic, but I'll be completely honest. I've had daydreams, constant thoughts, dreams of killing them and every single one of their family members. Not just the ones who assaulted me, but the ones who aid them who hide them and lie to the police. They encourage this behavior, and there are no better then the children the produced... I fear for my friends safety, we can no longer walk the roads alone to visit my friends grandma and family. We always have to carry weapons with us... It makes me so annoyed, so frustrated, makes me feel so vunerable. If they were to harm one of my friends, or my mother, I would have absolutely no choice but to go to their door and shoot whoever answers... I'm literally to that point where I just dont care anymore.

For the record, after my windshield was busted, I took a friends .38 (was 19 at the time) with me, and knocked on the guys door who I knew was involved, he wouldn't come outside, wouldn't even open the door, he just yelled from inside he wasnt coming out.. Cowards..

I've avoided confrontation for this long, but I feel as if the time will come VERY SHORTLY where I have to defend myself.. I am caught mentally in a place where I know if I am pushed, I may break and do a lot of damage to these people. I have no respect, no sympathy, no nothing for them. They've almost MADE me become racist, at least to them.... I don't want to throw my life and my career away because of their ignorance. I don't want to spend time in jail because I was pushed to the edge. I'm tired of waiting for justice, I'm tired of waiting for someone to do something. I've written my local PD/Sheriffs Dept, but all they can tell me is, they have to have evidence and clear visual that they are the ones doing these acts. Everyone knows its them, when the cops are called, they already know what house to go to. But they just never come up with enough to do anything..... It evidently takes a young girl dying to make anything happen, am I next?...

What should I do, how can I take care of this. I've tried to organize the rest of the neighborhood, tried to address it to all the others who know exactly what the problem is, but theres nothing we can do to get rid of them. Is there NOTHING I can do? other then sit, wait, and pray to god they don't try anything.

By the way, to clarify why I would run a rampage on their entire family is that I know if I were to harm one of their children, they'd scream racism, and retaliate on me via my Mother, and that friends, is something I will never let happen.

In summary. I'm non violent, I've tried to avoid confrontation my entire life. I'm one of those quiet guys who only speaks when he has something important to say. I'd never NEVER want to hurt someone else, especially not kill them. But they've changed my mentality.. They've made me realize that sometimes, just sometimes... you have to not care, you have to take action... I hope to god I never have to, but I feel that day is approaching.

I know this turned out to be a pretty darn long thread, and I sincerely thank anyone who reads it in its entirety. I've tried to wish them away, I've even tried to talk to them and make them understand that they don't have to be like this.. But nothing gets to them. They want to be 50cent, they want to be gangster. Their gang name when asked by the local news station when they murderd that girl is 'The Real Life Gang' .. But honestly, this is a NICE neighborhood.... All the surrounding neighborhoods are up-scale, high-class.. Anywhere within 2 miles is SUPURB.. except .. of course.. this neighborhood...

For reference : The main ones of the group have all had assault charges, breaking and entering, robbery, gun posession (on and off school grounds) .. Yet they all walk free at this very moment. Some are now over 18, and they can get their hands on any rifle they want legally (they shoot off what sounds like a 22 pistol at the current time). God help me ...

[Ed 2001 SS]

Get them on video. You probably need to be the one to gather evidence. Then give the evidence to the cops and let them do their job. Save the killing sprees for the bad guys.

[Iniquity]

well, not to sound racist. But their black, and wear dark clothing... and they only strike at night, and theres no street lights out here, and most people turn their portch-lights off at 10.. I don't have a camera. I have a digital picture camera, but it doesn't have any night vision on it. I have two webcams which I've networked together and have it running on a db box recording, but since they are el-cheapo intel cams, they don't work for squat in the dark, and I definently can't afford any surveillance eq.

Thank you for your response though, and for reading my post.

[jednp]

Buy a cheaper camcorder that has night shot on it, and get an infrared illuminator. Yeah, you're going to spend a little bit of money, but it'd enable you to video tape them in teh dark. Surefire sells an LED infrared illuminator that reaches out to 100 yards, and runs for I believe 13 hours. You should be able to sit back some distance and zoom in with the camera and see good. Whatever the cost of the camera is, then the light is $130. But I doubt you will find any better infrared illuminator. Flashlights with Infrared filters just don't cut it that well. You won't get the range or brightness out of them. Video is the best evidence you can get, and video that can be taken in the dark where they can't see you but you can see them clearly is even better because they have no clue they're on tape.

[HulkXD]

Well, it definitely sounds like you have a pickle. First off, fingerprints are not NEAR as easy to get as some may show on tv or talk about. Here in KY, it takes around two years to get back fingerprints, if it's a MURDER! Also, a brick doesn't have a surface conducive to fingerprints. It takes a smooth, somewhat flat surface (glass, vehicle paint, laminated wood, etc...) to get a decent fingerprint.

Now, on to your problem. Defend yourself! Now, that doesn't mean if someone comes on your property, you can shoot them. But, if someone comes on your property with the OBVIOUS intent to hurt you, defend yourself! If you are walking your dog, and someone approaches you with the OBVIOUS intent to hurt you, defend yourself! And take it one moron at a time. Defend yourself and your family against anyone who confronts you, intimidates you, and bullies you.

As someone's signature on this forum states:

It's better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.

[Iniquity]

I've never heard that quote until now, but it resonates so true. I guess I should have specified moreso, the only reason they'd ever come in to my yard is to cause me and those with me harm. I would never intentionally hurt someone without absolute confidence that it was my Last Resort. But I will take your words to heart and be on the ready to defend myself.

JedNP, thanks for the response. I've written down what you said and I'll try to save up enough to get a decent camcorder with an infrared illuniator.

[HulkXD]

Originally Posted by jednp

Buy a cheaper camcorder that has night shot on it, and get an infrared illuminator. Yeah, you're going to spend a little bit of money, but it'd enable you to video tape them in teh dark. Surefire sells an LED infrared illuminator that reaches out to 100 yards, and runs for I believe 13 hours. You should be able to sit back some distance and zoom in with the camera and see good. Whatever the cost of the camera is, then the light is $130. But I doubt you will find any better infrared illuminator. Flashlights with Infrared filters just don't cut it that well. You won't get the range or brightness out of them. Video is the best evidence you can get, and video that can be taken in the dark where they can't see you but you can see them clearly is even better because they have no clue they're on tape.

You should be able to get the camcorder for around a couple hundred off of ebay, and the light, yep, go with the sure-fire.

350-370$ delivered, baby

[speedracer211]

Strange how sometimes we are prisoners in our own house and neighborhood with our back against the wall when they are the ones that should feel like prisoners and be on the otherside of the wall in jail.

[jednp]

I have tried other infrared filters on flashlights, and they just don't work. Don't have much range to them and don't illuminate the greatest. The surefire LED is true infrared, no filters needed so it does a much better job and like I said, reaches out to about 100 yards and runs about 13 hrs. Here's a link to it, it's the M1 light.

http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main....401&sesent=0,0

[Mike TRT]

that is a problem your having there mi amigo......this isnt the answer all the time, but for what its worth, here it goes..... MOVE

these people (criminal element, savages, lower level of life people, be them white, black or green) are like cockroaches....get rid of some and more move in....is it wrong? yup, sure is but until the law makes human extermination legal its what we got in certain areas (especially if the price for houses is "right" for them).........Ive been thru the same thing with my dad, here's a brief story:

I owned a house in virginai when I was in the service, got out after 6 years and moved to chicago, but still owned the property which was rented to a nice family but they were slobs and were not taking care of things....my dad was retired and living in new england, so he said he would move into my property and take care of it....which he did a beautiful job of.......over the years I would go visit and long story short, the neighborhood starting going down the ****ter (as you described above)....my dad not being the most tolerant type (nor am I) would end up getting in arguements with these animals, but being 60+ years old and me being 1000 miles away made me very unneasy as shooting were happening abd the gang element was out of control.....the police did what they could (they-we, aren't bodyguards and deal with the same things in several areas, not just 1 or 2)......I asked dad, "hows a retired guy that likes golf feel about florida"? sold that place in 1 week and 2 months later I got the old man set up in a beautiful house on the gulf coast......no savages, he sleeps better which makes me sleep better.......

in a nutshell, you have 2 options: either keep doing what your doing, and maybe even catch a few cockroaches, put them in jail, feel the need to sleep with a pistol under your pillow, worry about your family and remain WAY sterssed out.....OR, realize your not happy where you are (and probably wont be) and go somewhere where you and your family will feel safe and secure, not to mention all the stress you'll relieve......you dont need to move to another state, look at different suburbs of where your at, location, location, location.........

good luck to you, and keep us posted