Elizabeth City gang sweep nets 26 arrests

Elizabeth City's largest roundup of suspected drug dealers and gang members in nearly two years included an estimated 10 men whom police call the "shooters."

On June 19, Elizabeth City police and other agencies executed Operation Spring Bling, arresting 26 people suspected of dealing narcotics and gang activity, said Sgt. Gary Bray, head of the Drug Enforcement Unit for the Elizabeth City Police Department. Another 16 have outstanding warrants but have not been arrested.

"A lot of the people we arrested will shoot you," Bray said. "They're shooters."

At least one man wanted in a recent shooting is still at large.

"The more of these guys we get off the streets, the more likely we'll have quieter nights," he said.

Elizabeth City has not had a homicide since June 2007 when a man on Speed Street was shot and killed. In 2008, records show 94 aggravated assaults. Of the 94, about 50 were shootings, Bray said.

Often gang rivals Bloods and Crips are shooting at each other, he said.

"We're very fortunate we haven't had more homicides from stray bullets," Bray said.

On June 16, someone shot at a man on Jordan Street. The bullet clipped off one of his dread locks and put a hole in his shirt, but he was not hurt. In connection with the shooting, Marvin Norman of Mill Drive in Elizabeth City was charged with two counts of attempted murder after turning himself in June 20, the day after the roundup, Bray said.

Police are still searching for Karon Antwan McDonald of Lowe Street in Elizabeth City. They have a warrant for his arrest on a charge of attempted murder after a Bloods gang member was shot in the leg as he sat in his yard on Price Street on June 8. Another bullet went into the house.

McDonald is known as a member of the Crips, Bray said. That incident caused the hospital to shut down the emergency room for safety precautions. McDonald was on the June 19 roundup list.

In February, a 15-year-old male was arrested after a man was shot and paralyzed.

Part of a four-person shooting investigation team, Bray is the first called after shots are reported, regardless of the time, seven days a week.

Arrest rates have improved since the team was formed last year, Bray said. Shootings have not gone down but more are solved, he said.

"We solve about 75 percent," he said. "We were solving about 50 percent."

Many street-level drug dealers get robbed by rivals. They may not care about gang membership except for protection, Bray said.

As in most crime organizations, members have different responsibilities, including enforcers who will try to kill rivals typically with a pistol in drive-by shootings.

Neighborhood crime watch members helped identify many of those arrested, Bray said.

The drug unit and Eddie Rodriguez, the police gang investigator, have trained residents how to spot gang activity

that is closely tied to illegal drugs.

Bloods wear red on the right side - red bandan as in the pocket, tied around the right knee or tucked in the belt on the right side, Rodriguez said. Tattoos are typically on the right side. Crips wear blue on the left side.

In graffiti, Bloods usually draw an upright pitchfork with five points. Crips draw an upside down pitchfork with six points.

Calls for comments from crime watch leaders about Operation Spring Bling were unsuccessful, but Bray explained crime watch members often avoid publicity.

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com