Williams Lake is fighting back against a handful of prolific offenders who residents claim are responsible for escalating gang violence in the Cariboo community of 14,000 people.
“We’re tired, sick and tired of the violence and the problems we’ve been having with a few people and I think what the message is today, the community wants our community back” says mayor Walter Cobb.
On Sunday, dozens gathered at Boitanio Park for a peace rally organized by Williams Lake resident Jess Bennett. It’s the same skate park where a 14-year old boy was robbed of his bike at gunpoint this past February. The brazen daylight crime captured on surveillance video was the tipping point for many in Williams Lake, where fewer than 20 prolific offenders identified by RCMP are responsible for the majority of the city’s problems – “There’s a handful of people, maybe two handfuls of people that are holding the community where they feel like they’re hostages. They’re scared to go out at night. We want kids to be able to go outside and enjoy themselves again” says Bennett.
On the evening of March 30th, a 20-year old man was fatally wounded in what RCMP believe was a targeted, gang related shooting.
The victim, Indi Ron Johnny, was known to police and just one of two community members Anaham Reserve Chief Joe Alphonse says he’s lost to crime in little more than a year. Alphonse’s Anaham Reserve is approximately 100 kilometres west of Williams Lake along Highway 20, where he says there are no recreation facilities for youth.
He and other area First Nations’ leaders are committed to ending the deadly violence – “I heard a lot of young people talking about the shooting and they’re…really shocked at what happened. It’s kind of sad to see young people like that you know ending up in the wrong crowd and then getting into trouble with the law and…now look where he’s at. I mean it’s pretty sad” says Chief Ervin Charleyboy of the Alexis Creek Indian Band.
Crime statistics from 2013 showed Williams Lake tops the list of B.C. communities when it comes to violent crime severity – “We have to worry about our future. If we can’t fix today then what’s tomorrow going to be like?” wonders Bennett.
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