Community Leaders Address Alarming Gang Activity Among Lubbock Youth, Call for Education and Support

On Tuesday, the Lubbock NAACP held an important meeting with city and school officials to talk about the scary problem of drug use and gang activity among the city's kids. The Texas Anti-Gang Center says that Lubbock has more than 70 active gangs. It's a scary fact that 60% of gang members are killed or jailed before they turn 20. The meeting made it clear that the community needs to be more involved and educated on how to avoid problems.

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Milton Lee, President of the Lubbock NAACP, stressed how important it was to let people in the community know about these hard facts. "We want to be involved with the city and its people." "Too many young people are misled, and they often don't know how their actions hurt others," Lee said.

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Seth Herman, the chief of police in Lubbock, agreed that at-risk kids need more and better educational opportunities. He pushed for organized places where kids could get help, learn, and be given the tools they needed to make better choices. "They can't get better living on the streets or in homes with no supervision." "We need to give them a safe, contained space where they can get the help they need," Herman said.

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Chief Herman also urged gun owners to be careful with their weapons and keep an eye on them. "Taking guns out of the picture can stop a lot of these problems." I agree with the Second Amendment, but it's about owning guns smartly. "Keeping your gun safe is very important," he said.

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Lee hoped that more chances would be made for young people in Lubbock to learn about the dangers of joining gangs, using drugs, and shooting people. "Kids need to know what life will be like after high school." He said, "We want to work with them, lead them, and help them make better decisions."

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The Lubbock NAACP is going to hold another meeting to raise awareness on these important topics on January 15. Soon, more information about the event will be made public.

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