Police seek input on gang violence

Dan Kulin

Monday, Sept. 16, 2002 | 11 a.m.

Police are hosting two community meetings on gang activity:

Las Vegas area police are asking for the public's help in the battle against gang-related activity, which is being blamed for the recent shooting death of a 9-year-old girl in North Las Vegas.

North Las Vegas Police and Metro Police will host a community forum at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Lois Craig Elementary School near the intersection of Civic Center Drive and East Gowan Road in North Las Vegas.

The school is just a few blocks from where Genesis Estrada was struck and killed by an errant bullet on Sept. 7. Police said Genesis and her 8-year-old sister Heidi were caught in the crossfire of a gang-related gun battle outside the family's apartment in the 3400 block of Civic Center Drive. Heidi was wounded in the right leg.

"We hope that we can convince the citizens we're there for them, and we want to solicit their input on how to address this," North Las Vegas Police Lt. Victor Dunn said. "We want to bring the community in to help us do our job better."

Residents also will be encouraged to call police when they witness a crime and reassured that their calls to police will be anonymous, he said.

Dunn said police were planning to hold community forums on gang-related activity before Genesis' death. But the shooting prompted police to hold the meeting earlier and at a location close to where Genesis was shot.

Another community forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at the police department's Buena Vista substation at 2417 Morton Ave., he said.

"It's unfortunate when anyone gets killed in a gang-related incident. But it's more so when it's a young child who hasn't even started life," Dunn said.

The elementary school was chosen for Thursday's meeting so that transportation would not be a problem for neighborhood residents, he said.

Some neighbors said they appreciated the fact that police are reaching out to the public.

Jeff Staten, 45, said he thinks police are doing a good job battling a problem that is "everywhere." But he said community involvement is still important.

"Police should always hold community meetings. You can't get the community involved without them," he said.

Rosario Gonzalez said she worries about what could happen to her three young children growing up in the neighborhood, and hopes the police can solve the problem.

Dan Larson, 43, said police should do more to help connect residents with community groups.

Larson, who lives near where Genesis was shot, said crime has been a big problem since he moved to the area less than two months ago.

"You don't live in North Las Vegas," he said. "You survive it."