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Guns and drugs star in Harrisburg Web video
WATCHING 'HOOD' To see the video, scenes of which are shown here, go to YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1licSDCT8R8
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
BY TOM BOWMAN
Of The Patriot-News
The video starts on an Allison Hill street corner, showing about half a dozen young men posing with handguns and what appears to be crack cocaine, bragging about selling drugs and doing time.
Titled "Hood" and shot in the 1400 block of South 15th Street, the five-minute video is making the rounds on YouTube, a popular Internet site that lets users upload video clips.
It begins with a title screen saying "Southside Projects" and "Harrisburg, Pa."
Authorities said some in the at least 6-month-old video showing weapons-bearing young men rapping about the thug life were on probation, which was then revoked.
"They are not allowed to have guns if they are on probation or parole," said Harrisburg Police Chief Charles Kellar.
Links to the video were sent to The Patriot-News and other media yesterday by Jason Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year. Smith, a critic of Mayor Stephen R. Reed, said it showed the seriousness of Harrisburg's crime problem.
The video "is an indicator of the depth of crime in Harrisburg in terms of the culture," Smith said. "This is a cultural problem. We clearly have a deep-rooted problem here, and the solution has to be wide-ranging. The solutions need to be deep-rooted."
Kellar said his officers knew about the video shortly after it came out and were able to identify most in the gang.
Those on the video are not identified, but many of their faces are shown. Most are 17 to 20 years old, police said.
The last man in the video said he was out of prison on bail when the video was shot. He tells how he was recently arrested for dealing drugs. He is now back in jail on unspecified charges, Kellar said.
"I'm gonna do my time, come back and do the same old thing," he said, staring into the camera in a closeup shot. "I got a daughter. She's gonna be [doing coke] with my [friends] down here.
"A black cop. He won't take the cuffs off me so I can throw the [drugs] in the toilet. [Screw] him. I got the [drugs] on me. They check my [pants]. The stuff falls out. I got it. Go ahead. Put me in the cell."
Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said he saw the video when it first was posted on the Web. He said there are armed gangs selling drugs in Harrisburg.
"I consider a gang a loose group of more than two individuals engaged in criminal activity," Marsico said. "So, yes, we certainly have gangs in that sense here in Harrisburg and other areas."
TOM BOWMAN: 255-8271 or [email protected]
WATCHING 'HOOD' To see the video, scenes of which are shown here, go to YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1licSDCT8R8
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
BY TOM BOWMAN
Of The Patriot-News
The video starts on an Allison Hill street corner, showing about half a dozen young men posing with handguns and what appears to be crack cocaine, bragging about selling drugs and doing time.
Titled "Hood" and shot in the 1400 block of South 15th Street, the five-minute video is making the rounds on YouTube, a popular Internet site that lets users upload video clips.
It begins with a title screen saying "Southside Projects" and "Harrisburg, Pa."
Authorities said some in the at least 6-month-old video showing weapons-bearing young men rapping about the thug life were on probation, which was then revoked.
"They are not allowed to have guns if they are on probation or parole," said Harrisburg Police Chief Charles Kellar.
Links to the video were sent to The Patriot-News and other media yesterday by Jason Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year. Smith, a critic of Mayor Stephen R. Reed, said it showed the seriousness of Harrisburg's crime problem.
The video "is an indicator of the depth of crime in Harrisburg in terms of the culture," Smith said. "This is a cultural problem. We clearly have a deep-rooted problem here, and the solution has to be wide-ranging. The solutions need to be deep-rooted."
Kellar said his officers knew about the video shortly after it came out and were able to identify most in the gang.
Those on the video are not identified, but many of their faces are shown. Most are 17 to 20 years old, police said.
The last man in the video said he was out of prison on bail when the video was shot. He tells how he was recently arrested for dealing drugs. He is now back in jail on unspecified charges, Kellar said.
"I'm gonna do my time, come back and do the same old thing," he said, staring into the camera in a closeup shot. "I got a daughter. She's gonna be [doing coke] with my [friends] down here.
"A black cop. He won't take the cuffs off me so I can throw the [drugs] in the toilet. [Screw] him. I got the [drugs] on me. They check my [pants]. The stuff falls out. I got it. Go ahead. Put me in the cell."
Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said he saw the video when it first was posted on the Web. He said there are armed gangs selling drugs in Harrisburg.
"I consider a gang a loose group of more than two individuals engaged in criminal activity," Marsico said. "So, yes, we certainly have gangs in that sense here in Harrisburg and other areas."
TOM BOWMAN: 255-8271 or [email protected]
