Gang activity in Denver? (Aurora, Highlands Ranch: lower-class, neighbourhoods, schools)

[mark7]

Hi!

I'm moving soon and I've done some pretty extensive research on where to move to. I found out that Denver satisfied the most of my criteria. There's only one thing that sounds surprising and unexpected: gangs.

I never thought Denver had actual gangs roaming its streets! When I read that information, I was really surprised (in a negative way, of course), especially since Denver usually ranked among the very safest of the big US cities.

So, I thought I'd ask people who know what's the situation really like to tell me just how active these gangs are and how much damage do they make? I heard a story of a Broncos player being shot by a member of a Denver gang!

Could anyone tell me the situation isn't exactly like that?

Thank you.

[tyr_shadowblade]

Originally Posted by mark7

I never thought Denver had actual gangs roaming its streets! When I read that information, I was really surprised (in a negative way, of course), especially since Denver usually ranked among the very safest of the big US cities.

So, I thought I'd ask people who know what's the situation really like to tell me just how active these gangs are and how much damage do they make? I heard a story of a Broncos player being shot by a member of a Denver gang!

Could anyone tell me the situation isn't exactly like that?

Hi.

My job takes me through the most gang infested areas of Denver and Aurora, including going inside the various housing projects. I have interacted with hundreds of local gang members and their families.

Denver is not that dangerous compared to other cities. When I was in Norfolk there were hoods I was afraid to drive through in daylight, you would hear gunfire every night, and at least once a week there would be a body on the sidewalk in the morning and no-one saw or heard anything.

Denver is safe -- even in Five Points and Whittier -- during the daytime. After dark it is a whole other story. There are certain neighborhoods I would not want to live in or walk through after dark. Most of the violent street crime here occurs after midnight.

Most dangerous area, surprisingly, is probably the 16th St Mall area. Gangbangers and methheads from Aurora take the bus to the 16th St Mall to do crimes because that is where the money is. It can get bad after dark, but it is highly patrolled by police and there are HALO cameras everywhere now. Very safe during the day. Worst daytime crime is usually pursesnatching.

My advice, if you want to go clubbing in the LoDo or Broadway area, is to stay sober, go with a group, and be aware that muggers will be targeting drunks after midnight.

As long as you are careful and use common sense you should be fine. The lack of oxygen and hundreds of MMJ dispensaries makes the criminals mellow.

[XT500]

mark7- I'm kinda speaking out of school here since I don't even live in Denver but I think you might be surprised how hard it is to even recognize a gang. 95% of "gangs" are a small group of kids who hang out together and commit petty crimes. Their beef isn't with you...it's with the other groups of teens or the cops. And they're certainly not leaving their hood to come and **** **** up in the suburbs. That said a mall, as mentioned above, is like a light to a skeeter for a teenager so it's best to avoid malls at all cost. Good luck!

[inskeep303]

Originally Posted by tyr_shadowblade

Hi.

My job takes me through the most gang infested areas of Denver and Aurora, including going inside the various housing projects. I have interacted with hundreds of local gang members and their families.

Denver is not that dangerous compared to other cities. When I was in Norfolk there were hoods I was afraid to drive through in daylight, you would hear gunfire every night, and at least once a week there would be a body on the sidewalk in the morning and no-one saw or heard anything.

Denver is safe -- even in Five Points and Whittier -- during the daytime. After dark it is a whole other story. There are certain neighborhoods I would not want to live in or walk through after dark. Most of the violent street crime here occurs after midnight.

Most dangerous area, surprisingly, is probably the 16th St Mall area. Gangbangers and methheads from Aurora take the bus to the 16th St Mall to do crimes because that is where the money is. It can get bad after dark, but it is highly patrolled by police and there are HALO cameras everywhere now. Very safe during the day. Worst daytime crime is usually pursesnatching.

My advice, if you want to go clubbing in the LoDo or Broadway area, is to stay sober, go with a group, and be aware that muggers will be targeting drunks after midnight.

As long as you are careful and use common sense you should be fine. The lack of oxygen and hundreds of MMJ dispensaries makes the criminals mellow.

i agree. denver on a crime rate level is not as bad as many cities but it is worse than several as well. What one must know about denver is that a large population of the city lives in lower east denver and south denver which are predominately white/zero gangs neighborhoods. denver's pop. is about 600k and roughly 150-175k of denver's people live in that area, where almost no murders occur. There is literally no neighborhood in denver you cant walk through during the day, but its different at night. but thats also true of other places. i have been to harlem, bedford Stuyvesant, compton, south central, east LA, and walked through the neighborhoods and was not even messed with or even stared at or the slightest. also, all anyone ever says on here is about the neighborhoods with black people and black gangs, but the mexican gangs run most of denver and everyone here knows that. denver has an estimated 220 gangs in its metro area with over 14,000 known members.

also one must look at the illegal immigrant presence in cities like denver, phoenix, albuquerque, LA, san diego, las vegas, salt lake, colorado springs, tucson, etc. many illegal activities that may or may not be reported happen with the gangs involvements with the drug cartels. denver has had a drop in crime in recent years. denver had years in the 90's when the pop. was only about 425-500k and there were anywhere from 70 to 90 murders a year. however, recently denver has had a drop in its crime, only 39,40, and 48 murders the past few years, but plenty of gangs do exist. and denver does have a very diverse population of roughly 35% mexican american (not counting illegals), 10% african american and a significant white population in the nicer areas of the city. but in all reality, all cities have a significant white population somewhere in their city and all cities have nice parts of there city and bad parts of there city with gangs, drugs, etc. i'll post some website links that can give people a taste of the gang culture and life that exists in the denver metro area. also, gangs exist in areas bordering denver such as commerce city, aurora, twin lakes, sherrelwood, northeast and east lakewood, edgewater, east wheat ridge/lakeside.

Black Gangs Vented Hatred For Whites In Downtown Attacks - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver
BLACK GANGS JUMPING RANDOM WHITE PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN DENVER

Denver Proclaims Gang-Related "Summer of Peace" as Gangs Attend Summer Concerts - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com
CITY OFFICIALS TRYING TO START PEACE IN DENVER

The Gangs All Here - Page 1 - News - Denver - Westword
ARTICLE DISPLAYING DENVERS GANG INCREASE. 6500 in 1994. 11000 in 2004. 14000 in 2008.

This Thug's Life - Page 1 - News - Denver - Westword
SMALL BROWN AND PROUD MEMBER BEING RECRUITED BY NSM

Three Dozen Members Of Notorious Gang Arrested - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver
POLICE ARREST 35 GKI MEMBERS FOR CRACK/COCAINE AND GUN TRAFFICKING, MURDER, BURGLARIES, ROBBERIES, ETC.

Girl Crazy - - News - Denver - Westword
SMALL STORY ABOUT GKI VIOLENCE GONE WRONG

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investig.../gangs/success
GKI MADE IT ONTO THE FBI DATABASE

Michael Asberry, RIP - Denver News - The Latest Word
ROLLIN 30 CRIPS DENVER FOUNDER WAS SHOT AND MURDERED

Denver gang sweep nets 53 arrests
53 TRE TRE CRIPS ARRESTED IN DENVER FOR MURDER, ROBBERIES, ETC.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_15650072
DENVER GANG MARCH ABOUT LIMITING THE VIOLENCE AND BRINGING PEACE INTO THE MINORITY GANG NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE METRO AREA

Denver Gangs linked with Sinaloa Drug Cartel | New Era News
ARTICLE TALKING ABOUT THE LINK BETWEEN MEXICAN STREET GANGS IN COLORADO AND DENVER, WITH THE DRUG CARTELS IN MEXICO

Tree Of liberty: Gangs and Drugs In Denver
GANGS AND DRUG DEALING EXAMINED THE DENVER METRO AREA

TV show to focus on Denver gang life - The Denver Post
DENVER SURENO MEMBER FROM SOUTHWEST DENVER TALKING ABOUT HIS GANG LIFE AND BEING IN PRISON

Its not just the denver metro area in colorado that has these gangs. its greeley, pueblo, longmont, and colorado springs as well.

Weld deputy's line-of-duty death is agency's first in 70 years - The Denver Post
WELD COUNTY SHERIFF SHOT AND KILLED BY A NORTHERN COLORADO SURENO FROM IN EVANS/GREELEY

Modern Tribalist: Norteños and Sureños Hispanic gang activity in Colorado
NORTENO MEMBERS STAB A RIVAL SURENO TO DEATH IN LONGMONT

UPDATE: Gang Shooting on Pueblo Street (http://www.kktv.com/crimestoppers/headlines/37675774.html - broken link)
ONE OF MANY GANG RELATED CRIMES IN PUEBLO. EAST SIDE DUKE GANG IN EAST PUEBLO SHOOTS RANDOMLY AT PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH EAST PUEBLO

Gangs in Colorado Springs | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs) Newspaper | Find Articles at BNET
LIST OF GANGS IN COLORADO SPRINGS WITH ATLEAST 50 MEMBERS. SOME HAVE UP TO 400 MEMBERS ALONE.

so gangs are everywhere in america, some more than others.

[Pierce2011]

I found this thread really interesting and just had to add my 2 cents. I believe Denver does have it's share of gangs only because the media fills me in on them. I've lived, worked and played all over Denver and it's surrounding cities for 30 yrs and I've never had an encounter with any. I think if you don't seek out that lifestyle or avoid certain areas you could live peacefully without being bothered by gangs. I would like to think that Denver is probably safer than most, but I know it's not "Candyland" either. I worry more about my very entertaining, yet well meaning, hill-billy neighbors than I do about gangs.

[MileHighCity303$WSC$]

Denver is a growing city and along with that comes the crimes and there are parts you dont wanna go in at nite and 5 pointz isnt as bad today as it used to be but it is where the cripz started in denver and parkhill is where the bloodz started and still today theres alot of gang tensions and northside mafia is having alot of beef with many other gangs in the city. And even tho crime rates are dropping it doesnt mean the city isnt dangerous in some parts, some people need to leave the burbs once in a while.

[OneMoreMove]

Yea, everyone, don't pay attention to the fact that the crime rate is dropping steadily
That doesn't mean anything. The real info comes from gangsta who post on internet forums!!

What a joke. If you really want to be a gangsta move to LA and stop watching so much TV. Denver has crime, sure, but it's TAME TAME TAME.

[Timmyy]

Watch out for the Highlands Ranch Wild Boyz gang. They run around the green belts jumping out of bushes scaring people while they walk their dogs. They have been spotted at the rec centers and are known for stealing towels while people are showering. Redstone Park is a known battle ground for these kids. In between soccer games they go into battle with their hacky sacks. It is a very terrifying sight.

[MileHighCity303$WSC$]

Ya obviously you 2 need to leave your house once in a while and highlands ranch is one of the richest neighborhoods in colorado. Dont listen to rich people who dont have a clue on whats happening in real life and go down to those neighborhoods at nite time and see wat im talking about.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by MileHighCity303$WSC$

Ya obviously you 2 need to leave your house once in a while and highlands ranch is one of the richest neighborhoods in colorado. Dont listen to rich people who dont have a clue on whats happening in real life and go down to those neighborhoods at nite time and see wat im talking about.

On this forum two years ago, we had a lively discussion about the gangs of Highlands Ranch.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/denve...bashing-4.html