Fact is there are people out there who know who these lads are who do the shooting, carry the blades, stash the weapons, Rob the cars and bikes, deal the drugs and all the other crime that goes on that these gangs are involved in.
There has to come a time to make being a part of that life less beneficial than not.
People expecting government to sort it, or council or police with any type of legalisation or law changing may as well be waiting for Unicorns.
It needs communities to come together, to protect each other and to take responsibility for making the criminals lives difficult.
I hate to say it, because I was brought up that you don't say anything, but people have to report what they see and regularly.
Blacked out car running lights. Check the dash cam, report it. Weed smell from a property you know is abandoned or a house that sees kids regularly turning up to, report it. Find something on a relatives device because you caught them with something they shouldn't be having. Report it. Lads intimidating anyone, report it. Etc etc etc.
Seen so many drug dealers not even hiding it happening cos they know no one is going to say anything. Then there is uproar when it starts getting rough round yours. Waiting for someone else to deal with it, to challenge it, is as criminal, if you aren't going to challenge it directly, and make these scumbags feel unwelcome by yours then the bizzies turning up will.
They want to operate an easy life, and will always look for a path of least resistance, so got to make their career choice harder to do.
If people want a safer street no fear of losing a child in this way, no fear of being ran over by a scrambler walking in a park or on a path, no fear of gangs on corners abusing, terrifying people from their estates, no fear of cars getting pinched, then the same people need to give names and addresses and locations and numbers and social media posts to the police.
People need to see a trend in people challenging these thugs in broad daylight. Otherwise how would you ever expect people to do it on mass, if you won't be first to do it.
It takes courage to stand up to them and to make them think, that it isn't worth the aggro, hassle.
So do what you can.
Taking their picture, videoing them doing the crine, phoning the police whilst they are committing the crime, alerting neighbours and friends in your area when anti social or gang/drug behaviour is happening so people can come together and challenge them, let them know your watching and reporting.
If people aren't prepared to do this, then this is the society that we have to accept.
My mindset changed when I had my girl, and this gut wreching tragedy is one that you can't ignore, it is so random that it could literally be someone you know, that loses their life to these horrid little vermin, who only care about cheating the system and stepping on whoever grey want to get the cash and power they crave.
Their desire for that can't be stronger than a whole communities love for their city, area, families, friends and general safety and security.
The community now needs to start shopping the people they know are into that life.
I don't think it will ever happen, until you see "it's ok to snitch' being graffiti'd onto walls and seeing names and pictures of offenders and where they lived etc being commonly posted in local papers and community groups so their families and acquaintances feel the discomfort of that shame by association.
Culture change needed.
Ranting, cos I still can't get my head around it and what their family must be going through.
