FBI aware of 20-25 gangs in Louisville; 'They're not just staying in their own neighborhoods'
At least 30% of the Metro's violent crime can be traced back to a local gang, according to Louisville Metro Police.
A massive shoot out at a Hike's Point apartment complex on New Years Day is perhaps the most recent example of local gang violence operating in Louisville.
In that incident, more than 600 rounds were fired at the apartment complex right outside of St. Matthews.
"They're not just staying in their own neighborhoods, committing these crimes," Brian Jones said.
Jones is the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Louisville division.
He said the FBI has identified between 20 and 25 gangs operating in Louisville right now.
Most are what authorities call "neighborhood-based gangs," which means they aren't affiliated with a nationally known or more recognized gang.
"What we see are gangs take on the names of the street where they live on or the community they stay in," Jones explained. "Usually they're involved in drug trafficking and other types of violent crime."
Fear and Intimidation 'Eradicating' the Ross Crew
In some cases a "street crew," as they're often called, will be based out of a single apartment complex.
These local gangs use fear to intimidate innocent people to keep quiet.
Jones used a recent case investigated by the FBI as an example to explain how these crews work.
He said four individuals, who were part of what was known as the "Ross Crew," were selling drugs out a neighborhood in the Newburg area.
"They were using weapons almost patrolling their neighborhood," Jones said.
Federal agents said the men used assault rifles to “patrol” the apartment complex, while drug deals were underway inside the building.
During an FBI SWAT bust, agents found baggies of cocaine and crack cocaine hidden around the apartment.
Investigators also found drugs inside a toilet -- a failed attempt to destroy evidence, according to the FBI.
PHOTOS: Gangs in Louisville - The Ross Crew
In February 2023, the four men were sentenced to federal prison time on drug trafficking charges.
FBI Louisville said they consider the Ross Crew "eradicated" and that's their goal in all of these cases.
"Instead of taking them off one by one, we want to target an entire gang, bring charges on them and take the entire gang off the street so we make a significant impact," Jones said.
Gangs in School Kids arrested for violent crime
Louisville's gangs are made up of men, women and children as young as 14 years old, according to federal agents.
Jones said the number of members in any given gang can range significantly.
"We see everything from three or four members that are causing significant fear or violence in their community, up to 20, 30, 40 individuals in a single gang," he said.
In Louisville, federal investigators confirm there is even gang activity happening in local schools.
"We know there are students, high school aged students in this community, in Louisville, in the region, that we know are involved in gang activity," ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow said.
He said the federal system isn't designed to respond to juvenile crime.
That's why his agency created a path to get involved because officials are so concerned about the high rate of violent crime being traced back to Louisville youth.
Morrow said federal agents are now working hand-in-hand with Jefferson County Public Schools each time a gun is found inside a school.
"We want to trace that firearm and figure out where it came from, how it made its way into the hands of that juvenile and ultimately how it made it into the hands of that school," he said.
Morrow says teens affiliated with street gangs are responsible for much of the "random crime" reported outside of schools.
Over the last year, police arrested minors in major cases -- from carjackings to arson and even murder.
In response to what he's seeing on the streets, Morrow said he shifted special agents to exclusively work on gang activity.
"We adjust our operations based on the threats to public safety and the crime trends that we see," he said. "This particular group was focused on criminal organizations 15 to 18 months ago because of what we were seeing on the streets."
Beyond the Metro How to keep yourself safe
To be clear, it's not just Jefferson County feeling the impacts of gang violence.
Federal investigators confirm gang members from Louisville are engaging in criminal acts across Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Henry and Trimble Counties.
Shay McAlister: "For many years in Louisville, city leaders weren't talking about gangs, police leaders weren't talking about gangs -- recently that's changed -- why do you think that is?"
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Jones: "Our investigations collaboratively uncover that there is gang activity and the statistics show that there are. So for the city leaders to deny that is just not reality. We're to a point where the public expects to know what's going on in the city."
Federal investigators do have a suggestion for residents concerned about their safety.
They said should you be met with someone trying to steal your keys or car: Simply give up your belongings.
Police say they've seen that the young people involved in crime right now are quick to pull the trigger -- not thinking through the consequences.
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