Video Chicago's south and west sides are experiencing a more than 50 percent surge in homicides. In the fi

(12 Jun 2012) TV SCRIPT:

HEADLINE: Chicago: Gangs, Guns & Drugs

CAPTION: Chicago's South and West sides are experiencing a more than 50 percent surge in homicides. In the first of a three part series, AP looks into the street violence with the Chicago Police gang & narcotic units, Chicago gang members and the DEA. (June 12)

[LOCATION:CHICAGO,IL - JUNE 12] [SOURCE: AP]

[NAT-BREAK]

EIGHT KILLED AND THIRTY FIVE WOUNDED

THAT WAS A RECENT WEEKEND IN CHICAGO

[NAT-BREAK]

[VOICE-OVER]

HOMICIDES ARE UP OVER 50 PERCENT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

[NAT-BREAK]

[VOICE-OVER]

PERHAPS IT'S THE WARMER SPRING TEMPERATURES

OR THE DEMOLITION OF NEARLY ALL THE HIGH RISE PUBLIC HOUSING THAT HAS SCATTERED THOUSANDS OF GANG MEMBERS INTO RIVAL TERRITORIES

BUT THE FACT IS , IN SOME SOUTH AND WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS ITS GUNS, DRUGS AND GANGS..

[SOT: GARRY MACARTHY/ SUPERINTENDENT / CHICAGO POLICE DEPT.]

"WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC GANG PROBLEM HERE.

IT'S TIED TO NARCOTICS BUT IT'S A GANG PROBLEM WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN NEW YORK OR THE EAST COAST."

[SOT: OFFICER ERIC LANDORF / CPD GANG ENFORCEMENT DIVISION]

"THAT IS FILLED WITH HEROIN AND THEY CUT DOWN THE STRAW AND SNORT IT OUT RIGHT OUT OF THE BAG."

[VOICE-OVER]

WITH NEARLY 70 THOUSAND MEMBERS , CHICAGO IS THE MOST GANG POPULATED CITY IN AMERICA ACCORDING TO THE FBI.

[NAT-BREAK]

[VOICE-OVER]

AP SPENT SEVERAL DAYS EMBEDDED WITH THE CHICAGO POLICE NARCOTIC AND GANG UNITS

[VOICE-OVER]

WE RODE ALONG DAY AND NIGHT, OBSERVING AND DOCUMENTING THE CONFLICTS

[NAT-BREAK]

[VOICE-OVER]

AS THEY HIT UP TARGETED SPOTS AND CHASED DOWN CRIMINALS MAKING ARRESTS. ALL THIS, BASED ON MONTHS OF UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAS LEAD TO EACH "TAKE-DOWN"

THE GOAL, TO CURB THE SHOOTING AND LOCK UP THE DEALERS RANGING FROM LOW LEVEL STREET THUGS TO MEXICAN CARTEL OPERATIONS IN CHICAGO

[SOT: GARRY MACARTHY/ SUPERINTENDENT / CHICAGO POLICE DEPT.]

"SEIZING THE GUNS, HOLDING ON TO THOSE MARKETS AND ATTACKING THE LIFE BLOOD OF THE GANGS WHICH IS THE NARCOTICS TRADE."

[STAND-UP: ROBERT RAY / ASSOCIATED PRESS]

"WE TALKED WITH THE GANG MEMBERS AND THE POLICE..WHAT THEY TOLD US IS THAT IT'S MORE COMPLEX THAN ANY OF US COULD IMAGINE AND PERHAPS GANGS AS WE KNOW THEM ARE CHANGING."

[SOT: DEVON TIMS / CHICAGO GANG MEMBER]

"THERE IS NO CONTROL, NO LEADERS.

[VOICE-OVER]

AT JUST 23, DEVON TIMS WAS RAISED BY DRUG DEALERS, HE DESCRIBES HIS YOUNG LIFE AS A GANG MEMBER OF THE PROMINENT CHICAGO VICE LORDS AS SOMETHING HE HAS KNOWN SINCE BIRTH...AND HE HAS IDEAS ON WHY THE SURGE IN VIOLENCE

[SOT: DEVON TIMS / CHICAGO GANG MEMBER]

"THERE IS NO ONE OVER THE CONTIOUS SECTS OF GANGS. THERE ARE SECTS OF YOUNG GUYS NOW AND THEY TAKE THEIR OWN MORALS AND UNDERSTANDINGS TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN AND MAKE IT INTO A LOT OF CHAOS."

[SOT: SGT. MATTHEW LITTLE / CPD GANG ENFORCEMENT UNIT]

"HISTORICALLY, IN THE PAST, THE GANGS WERE VERY ORGANIZED FROM THE TOP DOWN. NOW, THEY ARE VERY SPLINTERED.

[VOICE-OVER]

A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD FOR POLICE WHO ARE FIGHTING THE INTERNAL SECTARIAN STREET VIOLENCE

[SOT: DEVON TIMS / CHICAGO GANG MEMBER]

"THE GUYS WHO WERE THE LEADERS AND CHIEFS ARE NOW IN PRISON AND SO THERE IS NO ONE TO CONTROL THIS SO IT HAS BECOME A HAYWIRE."

[NAT-BREAK]

THE GANG ENFORCEMENT UNIT IS HEAVILY ARMED

SGT. MATTHEW LITTLE IS ON THE FRONT LINES. HE IS ALSO A SOLDIER, WITH MULTIPLE TOURS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

[SOT: SGT. MATTHEW LITTLE / CPD GANG ENFORCEMENT UNIT]

"ESPECIALLY WORKING IN AFGHANISTAN, ITS VERY SIMILAR. YOU ARE BASICALLY WORKING GANGS, IT'S A VERY TRIBAL CULTURE IN BOTH PLACES."

[NAT-BREAK]

[VOICE-OVER]

[SOT: DEVON WRIGHT / CHARGED-DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE]

RAY: HOW LONG WERE YOU LOCKED UP FOR?

WRIGHT: A YEAR?

RAY: FOR WHAT?

WRIGHT: SELLING DRUGS

RAY: WHAT KIND OF DRUGS?




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