Police push for public's assistance in bring gangs to justice

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Police say the shooting on the 4800 block of Gaywood Drive Thursday is gang-related.

A 3-year-old girl is fighting for her life after being shot during the shooting. Investigators are still looking for suspects in the case, but their fear is possible retaliation.

"Can we expect something like this to happen soon, it can be expected," said Officer Raquel Foster with the Fort Wayne Police Department

Police say it's typical for an innocent bystander to be shot in gang-related shootings. Foster says these types of shootings can happen for numerous of reasons.

"Some of them are fighting for territory, some of them are fighting for what they might be calling their way of living, which is drugs and weapons," she said.

Fort Wayne police team with other agencies to get gangs off the street. The problem is that even when they arrest some of the ringleaders, other gang members take their place. That's when gangs just keep recruiting new members.

Police would like to concentrate on preventing kids from joining, which police say is their target members, but say their focus is trying to prevent the criminal activities of the gangs.
       
"Our role, unfortunately, is the now. When they are deeply in this gang life and committing crimes," Foster said describing how hard it is to get kids out of gangs once they're already involved.

Police can't stop gang activity without the public's help in testifying and bringing gang members to justice.

Police say it's hard to bring witnesses to testify because of the possibility of retaliation and the heavy presence a gang can have within a community.

Even though Fort Wayne's seen at least a couple gang shootings in the past few months, police say they haven't pinpointed any rhyme or reason for spikes in gang activity.