I-Team: Street Gangs Growing, Evolving in Las Vegas

Friday, May 10th, 2013, 2:53pm

LAS VEGAS -- An estimated 20,000 street gang members and their associates prowl neighborhoods all over southern Nevada, the highest number for the valley yet. Metro Police said the number of known gangsters in Las Vegas has increased 10 percent in each of the past two years, and there are now almost 600 individual gangs.

But numbers aren't the only challenge for police. The gangs have grown more sophisticated.

Bloody turf wars are largely a thing of the past now that new hybrid gangs have emerged. In order to adapt, Metro created the GAP team, and allowed the I-Team to ride along with the tough-as-nails officers.

"Wait right there. Right there," an officer commands a suspect.

Working the gang-infested corridor near Tropicana Avenue and Boulder Highway, Sgt. Will Huddler is cautious every time he and his team pull someone over.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Metro Closing Lobby of Three Substations

Submitted by Adam Candee, 8 News NOW

Thursday, May 9th, 2013, 12:08pm

Budget tightening for Metro Police will result in the closures of the lobbies at three substations beginning Saturday.

These locations are:

Bolden Area Command, 1851 Stella Lake Street
South Central Area Command, 4860 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Southeast Area Command, 3675 East Harmon Avenue

The Downtown Area Command closed its front lobby in March 2010.

The civilian support personnel who normally staff these locations will be moved to more critical positions within the department, eliminating the need to hire additional staff to fill those roles. No positions will be eliminated during this re-allocation of resources.

The primary functions of these front lobby locations were taking crime and accident reports, registering firearms, and fielding special service requests from citizens. These services will still be available at other substations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday:

View Comments | Post a Comment

Safe Summer Nights Events for Free Family Fun

Submitted by Adam Candee, 8 News NOW

Thursday, May 9th, 2013, 11:54am

Safe Summer Nights Events for Free Family Fun

The city of Las Vegas is hosting a handful of Safe Summer Nights events to draw residents out for community gatherings.

The events will include music, children’s games, face painting and free hot dogs and water while supplies last. City of Las Vegas staff will be joined by local non-profit representatives, neighbors and others to provide information about summer youth activities, health services, community safety, adult education opportunities and more at these events.

Safe Summer Nights events will be held at the following locations:

View Comments | Post a Comment

Police Looking for Driver Who Hit 3-Year-Old

Submitted by 8 News NOW

Thursday, May 9th, 2013, 10:53am

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas police are looking for a driver who they say hit and critically injured a 3-year-old girl and then drove away from the scene.

Police say there were children inside the car the woman was driving when she hit the little girl Monday night in Cliffview Circle near E. Vegas Valley Drive and S. Lamb Boulevard. Police say the woman got out of the car, checked on the girl, and then drove away.

"She's a coward, she's low, and she's wrong," said a friend of the young girl's family. The friend wishes to remain anonymous because she fears for her safety.

Police say the driver is an African American woman who was driving a white four-door sedan when she ran over the 3-year-old. One family friend said she often sees the toddler playing outside.

"She's a very beautiful girl. She's very energetic."

View Comments | Post a Comment

Woman Sentenced in Cab Driver Murder

Submitted by Natalie Cullen, Online Editor

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, 4:20pm

A judge sentenced a woman in connection with the robbery and shooting death of a Las Vegas cab driver.

Autumn Dawn Murry will spend between 16 and 67 years in prison for the murder and robbery of 30-year-old Tesfaye Arze. Arze was found dead near his cab, which was parked at Mt. Hood Street and Carey Avenue in March 2011.

Murry plead guilty to the charges this past March. Her accomplice in the crime, Felicia Mosley, also plead guilty.

The crime apparently started when Murry and Mosley refused to pay Arze for the cab ride. Murray also used a gun to rob a convenience store before she got into the cab.

View Comments | Post a Comment

VOLLEYBALL: Foothill Adjusts, Beats Las Vegas

Submitted by Adam Candee, 8 News NOW

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, 1:26pm

The Falcons struggle at times, but pull out the win in the first round's most competitive match.

Chris Sisson wasn’t sure how the Foothill boys volleyball team would respond at the first sign of adversity in the postseason. Any concerns the Falcons coach had were alleviated Tuesday.

Read more at the Las Vegas Review-Journal

View Comments | Post a Comment

Resource Fair Offers Help for Families in Need

Submitted by Natalie Cullen, Online Editor

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 4:40pm

Resource Fair Offers Help for Families in Need

Homeless and low-income families in southern Nevada are invited to an event designed to help them find resources they need.

The Family Connect Summer Resource Fair will be hosted by Clark County at the East Las Vegas Senior Community Center, 250 North Eastern Avenue.

From 1 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 15, families can come to the center and talk with local agencies and organizations that provide help with childcare, housing, health care, jobs and more.

Event organizers are also looking for donations that will be handed out at the fair. Items like toys, first-aid kids, canned food, diapers, formula and personal hygiene items are needed. To donate, contact organizers at fortheleastofthese@cox.net.

Organizers are also looking for volunteers to help at the event. To register as a volunteer, go to volunteercentersn.org.

View Comments | Post a Comment