Nor'Town: Politics in North Las Vegas, Nevada

Good News and Bad News

Well, the good news is that not ALL of the school-related shootings listed in the  Review Journal were in Nor'Town! The bad news is that we seem to have the most.

More Gun Play at Nor'Town Schools

Nor'Towners were greeted with news of yet more gun play at area schools today. One Alicia Mallard, apparently fed up with bullies picking on her daughter, allegedly pulled a gun on the tormentors. (RJ,Fox5)

At about the same time, three teens who are accused of shooting up a school bus stop have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder. (RJ)

Seems to me that making our schools safer should be the most important issue in the mayoral election next year. Mallard's reaction was certainly extreme and entirely unacceptable, but I think we can all understand her frustration with sad state of school security in North Las Vegas. Question is, what are city hall and the school board going to do about it?

Perhaps like in Henderson, school cops and city police should start working together more closely. (Sun)

If you're interested in the crime statistics for your neighborhood, check out NLV's crime map.

Catching Up With the Shootings

• Two of the kids accused of shooting up people at that bus stop last month have been officially indicted. Both Dresden Michael Williams, 18, and Franklin Jackson, 17 plead "not guilty". (AP)
• Nicco Tatum, who is accused of conspiring with Williams and Jackson, has been arraigned for yet another shooting of a woman on Dec. 5th. (RJ)
• 19 year-old Marcus Campbell was sentenced to 42 years to life for a gang-related shooting last year near Martin Luther King Blvd. and Lake Mead. (RJ)

50% Increase in Homicides in Nor'Town

It looks like the murderers are moving to Nor'Town:

While the number of murders went down in Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County, North Las Vegas saw a 50 percent increase in homicides in 2007 when 33 people were slain, compared with 22 in 2006.

Mark Hoyt, a spokesman for North Las Vegas police, was unable to come up for a reason for the increase except population growth.

North Las Vegas' population rose to 215,026 in 2007, a 6.2 percent increase over the previous year.

"It's hard to predict homicides and combat what you don't know is going to happen," Hoyt said.(RJ).

Let's see. 6.2% increase in population. 50% increase in murders. Sorry, I just don't see much of a connection. Of course, the police department has been without a Police Chief for a while and it and the city council have been locked in a political struggle over the position for a sizable portion of last year. Hmm...wonder if there is any connection?

Burglaries seem to be up, too, but they can't find the numbers:

For Las Vegas police, the 3 percent increase in burglaries last year was just the latest in a string of consecutive annual increases. From 2003 through 2007, burglaries in their jurisdiction increased 39 percent.

North Las Vegas police said they were unable to provide a total for 2007, but if the trend there continued, the number of burglaries also was higher in 2007 than in 2006. (RJ)

Can't provide the total? I'm pretty sure the City Council has recently allocated funds for new computers. What gives?

Nor'Town Crime Report

From the ReviewJournal:

• Alleged car thief dies in high speed chase at Losee and Centential
• Man found dead, possibly of gunshot wound near Brooks and Commerce
• 21-year-old arrested for making threats over the Internet on some members of a rock band

Wow, crime's going high-tech in Nor'Town!

Bullets over Nor'Town: 2007

I thought I would look up some older reports about violent crime in Nor'Town. I've included some from 2006 since this is the first time I've done this, and 2006 was also a busy year:

Jun, 2006. Woman shot by two teens. (RJ,KLAS)

Sep. 23, 2006. Two 17-year-olds arrested for gang-related shooting of school bus. (RJ)

Oct. 10, 2006. 14-year-old Legacy High student shot in the leg by another student. (RJ,KXNT)

Dec. 4, 2006. Canyon Springs High principal requests metal detectors. (RJ)

Dec. 25, 2006. Three men killed on Christmas day. (RJ)

Mar. 3, 2007. !6-year-old boy brings loaded gun to Canon Springs High. (RJ)

April 13, 2007. Girl brings loaded weapon to Canyon Springs High (RJ)

April 28,2007. Air Force Airman killed in "random" shooting outside of baby shower. (RJ,AP,KTNV)

May 10, 2007. Two men gunned down in North Las Vegas apartment. (RJ)

May 15, 2007. Woman murdered, possible assailant charged. (RJ)

Jun 10, 2007. Teen murdered, six wounded at house party. (RJ,Sun)

Jul 26, 2007. Man found murdered in North Las Vegas bar. (RJ)

Aug 9, 2007. Teen Leonardo Jijon-Felician found shot to death. (RJ)

Aug 12, 2007. Man found shot to death. (RJ)

Aug 17, 2007. Three arrested for 2006 drive by shooting. (RJ)

Nov. 19, 2007. 15-year-old murdered, two others shot. (KXNT,KVVU)

Dec. 8, 2007. Teen found guilty of first-degree murder in slaying of North Las Vegas telephone technician. Witnesses say they were offered money not to testify. One witness had to be brought to court in handcuffs. (RJ)

Dec 11, 2007. Six people wounded at Mojave High School bus stop near North Las Vegas. (RJ)

Dec 16, 2007. Pepper spray used on "unruly" students. (RJ)

Dec 18, 2007. Nor'Town shoplifting ring arrested in Utah. (DesNews)

Dec 21, 2007. Man found fatally shot in NLV apartment. (RJ)

Finally, North Las Vegas crime on the T.V.: Sin City Law.

Nor'Town's New Year's resolution should be to make the city safe for it's children. That should be the number one issue in the mayoral campaign, too.

Thug Life

"Thug Life." That was the message printed on the sweatshirt of one of the persons who allegedly shot at students at that now infamous school bus stop in northeast Las Vegas.  Franklin Jackson, who sported that inspiring bon mot, is apparently a member of a charming little community group called the "Gerson Park Kingsman". Mr. Jackson also has a lovely tattoo proclaiming himself to be a "Lil Soldier." Trust me, you don't want to know what a "lil soldier" is. (KLAS)

"Gerson Park Kingsman," however, is "a homegrown Las Vegas gang named after a housing project that no longer exists." (Harvard)

Mr. Jackson, known to his friends as "Frankie J," was arrested with some of his jolly companions, Erica Adams and Dresden "DooBear" Williams, for the school bus shootings. Early this week, one Nicco Tatum was arrested in Denver for his alleged contribution to the wounding of six persons who were unfortunate enough to be in close proximity to this lively crew. (RJ,KLAS,RJ)

Tatum and his associates were apparently just hanging out at the bus stop for a little late afternoon fighting and gun practice with, and at, a rival local social organization, when friends and family of a Mojave student, who had been threatened the day before by Mr. Tatum, came around a corner, and seemingly surprised Mr. Tatum and his excitable companions. At least some of Mr. Tatum's pals, and perhaps even he himself, began firing their weapons, which they had thoughtfully brought along for their other social activity. Either Mr. Tatum and his friends mistook the new arrivals for members of the rival gang, or they simply felt that one should never miss an opportunity to fire a weapon at innocent school children.

Mr. Tatum's arrest warrant can be read for your edification over on the KLAS website.

As our North Las Vegas children dodge bullets, gang bullies, and the local illicit drug merchant on their way to our fine institutions of learning, they and their parents will no doubt be thrilled to learn that the Clark County School District, whose fine school police force is still cleaning up after the last chief--and law enforcement convention entrepreneur--ran off, has apparently underreported the number of violent acts at our Nor'Town schools. (RJ,RJ) That's right. There are even more assaults going on in our schools than you thought!

Not that the media are doing such a great job, either. They incorrectly reported that the principal of Canyon Springs High was hurt in the fight that broke out there las week. Police used pepper spray on the fighters to add to the fun. However, the principal was unharmed. (RJ)

The school system is seriously broke, and somehow I don't think rap or pepper spray really count as long term solutions. However, if Nor'Towners got to know who their Assembly rep, State Senator, and County Commissioner are, and said: "fix the mess or you're fired," that might be a start.

And, where is the Nor'Town mayoral candidate who will make it his or her first priority to make North Las Vegas schools safe? Anybody out there?