Update: map shows gang violence locations in Pueblo
Pueblo police on Wednesday released their first-ever map showing locations of gang-related shootings.
The map divides the city into four sections, or quads, and displays where homicides, drive-by shootings, other shootings and shots-fired calls happened in 2015.
Police say an officer’s report had to have a gang member identified, or include related evidence, for a crime to be ruled gang-related.
The map shows a fairly even distribution of shootings all over the city, with the exception of seven homicides reported on the south side, in or around the Bessemer and Eilers neighborhoods.
“There’s no real significance to that,” said Sgt. Eric Gonzales of the Pueblo Police Department. “Pueblo is such a small city, it’s likely just coincidence.”
Police say gangs are responsible for seven of the city’s 13 homicides last year, and 94 of 164 shooting incidents.
Gonzales said the map should prove to citizens that violent crime can happen anywhere, and the solution requires a partnership between police and citizens.
“The level of gang crime is holding steady,” he said. “But it’s not going down.”
Two women who live in south Pueblo said they’re not surprised by what the map shows.
“I had a drive-by shooting right outside my house,” said Glenda Sears. “It’s scary, but I think things are better now. It all depends on who your neighbors are, and a lot of troublemakers have moved out. If it happens again, I’ll just stay in the middle of my house and let my three dogs protect me.”
F’lissitee Gallehos said she’s glad police made the map available.
“It concerns me because I have little ones,” she said. I feel things aren’t safe any more because the gangs have taken over. I’m not sure what can be done. It’s just sad.”
Police said they are devoting more attention and resources to the matter. They’ve added a second officer specifically to gather crime information, and last year they joined a regional FBI task force.
“We’re also talking with kids before they decide to join gangs,” Gonzales said. “Citizens can help by forming neighborhood watch groups and calling the anonymous Crime Stoppers number to pass along information.”
Gonzales said as many as 10 gangs are involved in city crimes, with much of it connected to illegal drugs.
