By Anderson Sullivan
Editor-In-Chief
Additional reporting by Charlie Shotton, Managing Editor

Red for Bloods. Blue for Crips. Two known colors in relation to infamous gangs. These gangs may seem foreign to Outer Banks locals, but recent events may suggest that gangs like these could occupy local streets.

In the last year, two large fights, several drug busts and a stabbing have been affiliated with gang-related activity, according to stories published by The Outer Banks Voice.

“In my opinion, the Outer Banks is in the very beginning of a gang problem,” said Det. David Johnson of the Kill Devil Hills Police Department. “Overflow of gang members from surrounding areas, such as Elizabeth City (N.C.), Portsmouth Va., Norfolk Va. and Plymouth and Columbia (N.C.) are starting to expand to our area because of the drug sales.”

Gangs are coming to the Outer Banks because they can sell drugs at higher prices here, Johnson said.

“What drug dealers call it is the bridge tax. They make more money selling the same amounts of drugs here than Elizabeth City and the surrounding areas,” Johnson said. “For example, it costs $60 to $80 for a gram of cocaine in Elizabeth City, where here it is $100 to $120.”

Johnson said the main activity gangs are involved in is the selling of narcotics, but gangs also participate in things like home invasions, robberies and assaults. Recent fights at bars and nightspots have been linked to gangs, according to stories published by The Outer Banks Voice.

Johnson said he thinks the fights featured in the news have probably been “ordinary bar fights” that just happened to involve gang members. He does not think these fights were motivated by gangs.

“It was not gang initiation or you’re-with-a-different-gang and I’m-fighting-for-my-gang (fights),” Johnson said. “It was a fight over a female (or at least one of them was over a female), but most people in the fight were gang members. It wasn’t gang-initiated.”

One such incident, as reported by The Outer Banks Voice allegedly took place at The Pit Surf Shop & Boardriders Grill. While the Voice said a stabbing resulted from a fight at The Pit, one of the co-owners says no weapons were seen at The Pit and no stabbing was observed by any witness.

“Someone was wounded that night, in that general area of town, and around the same time as the commotion surrounding the altercation, but nothing connects a ‘stabbing’ to the customer altercation in question,” co-owner Ben Sproul said.

Sproul said the fight quickly escalated, and although some people who fought may have had gang affiliation, it was not a gang fight.

“Basically, the perception that it was a big gang fight is not how I would characterize it at all,” Sproul said. “Two people got into an altercation, (which is) something that happens from time to time in a bar setting.”

Sproul said that The Pit has a set policy to deal with people that get into an altercation. They immediately separate the people causing the problem, ask them to leave and call the police, if needed. Sproul said they see that night as a learning experience.

“(This is) a good opportunity to continue to improve communication between our security personnel and professionals that work with the town,” Sproul said.

Dare County officials are taking the local drug and gang problems seriously and say they have dedicated resources to this problem. Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie says that in Dare County five units work full time on drugs.

“It makes sense for them to try and do things here. Gangs primarily sell cocaine and heroine,” Doughtie said.  “They can sell it in Elizabeth City, or bring it down here and make 25 to 40 percent more profit.”

Now that Dare County is aware of a developing gang problem, the next step is public involvement to rid the county of gangs. Doughtie said the public has played the largest role in getting a head start on controlling gangs on the Outer Banks. He said people are starting to trust the police more. Sheriff offices are receiving more tips than ever. All of these seem to be making a difference in the fight against gangs.

Johnson said drug dealing is a sign of gang activity, because that is the main source of income for gang members.

“If you start seeing abnormal amounts of traffic at certain houses at certain times, notify the police department,” Johnson said.

Although some gangs use colors to identify themselves, Johnson said they are not using them as much so they are “low key” and can hide themselves from the police.

He said the only time gang members “fly” their colors is when “they are going to do ‘dirt,’ which means commit a crime, whether it be (to) intimidate a witness, commit a robbery or an assault or (do) something of that nature.”

“That’s when they tend to wear their colors to show who they are and who they’re representing,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that although there are not major signs of it, he thinks that students are indirectly involved in gangs.

“I know there are some associates in the high school who do hang out with gang members, but I do not think they are actively recruiting in the high school,” Johnson said.

Sproul, chairman of the Dare County Board of Education, said the Board and the schools are working to make people aware of the gang problem and prevent students from becoming involved in local gangs.

“I want students and parents to know that the Board of Education and the Sheriffs Office  (are) working on (the problem) all the time. It is an important issue,” Sproul said. “While gang activity is sometimes glamorized in the media or in video games, at the end of the day it’s nothing but being a criminal and there’s nothing cool about that.”

Common reasons a teen might join a gang

• to be recognized
• for power
• to gain friends
• for protection
• to be accepted
• for money from crime
• for excitement
• for a sense of belonging

Signs that someone might be joining a gang

• change in friends
• wearing the same color frequently
• flashing hand signs
• increase in money, without a source
• secretive about activities
• declining interest in academics
• symptoms of substance abuse 

Tips for parents to keep teens out of gangs

• occupy their free time
• be involved in their lives
• show them affection
• make them feel loved and accepted

 Who to Call

If you see or hear of anything suspicious or criminal, contact the Dare Community Crime Line at 252-449-5337 or 800-745-2746 or submit a tip to its website, DareCommunityCrimeline.org. Dare Community Crime Line offers cash rewards up to $1,000 for tips that lead to arrest and all tips can be submitted anonymously.

Artwork by Christen Killgore; Reported by Anderson Sullivan
Send comments to sullivanan0105@daretolearn.org

Source of additional information: HealthyChildren.org.