Saginaw city council declares October Anti-Gang, Anti-Violence m - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(10/15/12) - Saginaw has seen 19 murders and nearly 100 shootings so far this year, and that leaves many at their breaking point.

Monday, leaders said it's time to take action, and that means taking back the streets from those who commit the crimes.

More than 50 percent of Saginaw's homicides and shootings are gang-related.

"We've got too many kids hanging around temptation all day long, nothing else to do," said Judge M. T. Thompson of the 70th District Court.

Judge Thompson wants to give at-risk kids something positive to do before they can get into trouble.

"We want to carry the message so students understand, the gang life style can only end three ways: dead, hurt or in prison," he said.

So Thompson, along with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, have been taking their message straight to kids, and visiting schools in Saginaw County.

"When you know what options are in life for you, you tend to choose based on what options are presented to you and unfortunately some of our young people are only presented with gang types of options," said Desmon R. Daniel of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Earlier in the month, city leaders held an anti-gang summit with those same goals in mind.

Monday night, the city council declared October Anti-Gang, Anti-Violence month in honor of these efforts. But their work won't be finished at the end of the month.

"We're in the middle of some negotiations with the state, the governor's office as well as some local businesses with hope that we can create jobs for at risk kids, ex-offenders, the chronically unemployed and veterans," Thompson said.