White T-shirt Urban Camo?

[Henry Bowman]

The other night, a local TV news (Cincinnati) did a hype story about how urban yewts (mostly male and mostly minority) have taken to wearing plain white over sized T-shirts. [gasp] I mean like XXXXL over sized on skinny dudes. They almost look like dresses. It's not "official" gang wear, though the groups congregate and trouble sometimes ensues. The complaint was that the identical style of dress made it difficult to ID perps, even when caught on film. They showed 8-10 such folks getting into a street scuffle on video tape, and they had a point. When the crowd dispersed, all you could say was, "it was a young guy in a large white T-shirt." The TV news didn't propose a solution (read: restriction) nor did they interview a proponent of a solution.

Has this "problem" been hyped by the media in any other cities?

 

[El Tejon]

Usually oversized hockey jerseys or those NBA jerseys.

Years ago I had a great video of deputy Sheriffs chasing a kid wearing those baggy pants (50s, IIRC). They fell down around Ice Mope's ankles tripping him and face planting him into a corner of one of those decks in front of a mobile home. Knocked him loopy and he lost a couple of teeth, but he lived.

I'm all for the mopes wearing uniforms. I know who to stay away from.

Of course, I wear white shirt camo, but my white shirt has a collar and a tie.

 

[BerettaNut92]

In high school (Los Angeles unified school district), white t-shirts and khaki pants worn together were considered gang attire.

 

[sm]

Yes.

In central AR, home of the nation's most expensive trailer being used as Presidental Library,

I used to have more exposure / access to LEO and those that worked with youths at a dentention center. These persons "ain't stupid" all the time.

These persons took notice that say for instance LEO all dress the same, if a scuffle breaks out and a video captures the situation, real hard to distinguish whom did what - if anything.

I attended public school. The All boys Catholic School required the boys to wear slacks ( no jeans) and ties. The All Girls Catholic School required white blouse and a particular plaid skirt.

On those occaisons, where matters became heated during a ball game, [rivals] we public students were hard to catch, real easy to tag the guy with the slacks and tie or the gal in white blouse and plaid skirt.

Now that many public schools require all to wear kahkis and blue oxford shirts for guys for instance, if a situation breaks out, even a fun deal " it was guy wearing kahkis and blue oxford shirt.

Good intentions [ the argument] "have feeling hurt because some folks have stuff others don't, and some students will feel bad and have low esteem " Meaning, dress code so gang colors do not show and start trouble.

NO offense to Puerto Ricans, had a salesman from NY tell me when he was in school the pointy shoes were not allowed to be worn in school. These allowed one to scale a fence quicker, and evade the wrath of school officials. He was Puerto Rican , his shoes were referred to as "Puerto Rican fence climbers". His whole culture was profiled by these shoes because a few persons in gangs did use the shoes to evade the po-po. So the schools adapted this attitude if a student wore such shoe, they must be in a gang.

I dunno...I saw a pic of my 6 yr old neice in her T ball uniform...if the shirttail is untucked ( which with her being so active and all is often) it looks like a dress on her, she is small for her age.

 

[Kharn]

I've seen a few guys (I forget which state we were in at the time, I spotted them on a weekend road trip from Maryland to Florida and back) that were wearing polo-style shirts with the bottom hem at about knee-level. The shirts were so large and baggy they could have probably hidden an underfolding AK or PG-only shotgun (or maybe even a full size AK or shotgun) under there without printing using the right sling.

The one upside to their "uniform"? It looks like its practically impossible to quickly draw anything stored at waist-level without broadcasting their intention (due to how much fabric they will have to lift up).

Kharn

 

[Fred]

It's more than just a uniform. The baggy clothes and shaved heads make it very difficult for a crime victim to give an accurate description of their attacker to the police. The baggy clothes can make a person who is slight of build appear bigger than they really are. This also has a intimidating effect on the street when dealing with rivals and potential victims.

Many wear a second set of clothes under the baggy ones and remove the baggy clothes after a crime has been committed. Those who have been arrested will often grow their hair, beards, and mustaches, while they are awaiting trail to confuses their victims in the court room.

HTH

 

[NMshooter]

If you cut the thread in the seam of the pants or shirt, forming an opening large enough that the rifle or shotgun will clear it when being drawn you can have real firepower available very quickly. To keep the seam closed, use velcro if you want to be fancy, or tape if you don't. I was amazed to see how well some folks could conceal stockless or folding stock weapons this way. Just make sure the weapon is secured to the body to keep from printing too much, and be careful how you move. Made me feel a little undergunned!

 

[hkOrion]

Denver too...

there was a recent bout of young urbanites in white t-shirts attacking random people in Lo-Do (the nightlife section of Denver). These intelligent youths were videotaping themselves, but police were having trouble identifying some of them due to their similar dress.

Was wondering what the thoughts were on this type of an assault - if you are carrying and are being approached by 10 persons all dressed similarly in this type of situation, what would you do?


hkOrion

 

[Sawdust]

Well, if they threatened me, I would simply turn the color of their shirts from white to red.

Sawdust

 

[hkOrion]

clarification....

they have superior numbers to your current ammo supply. I usually carry a USP .40 with 11 rounds. 12 guys - 11 rounds = bad math.

So, do you try to take as many out as you can and then just run like hell? Or just run like hell?

These guys were assaulting people on a crowded street. Pulling people from cars, stomping them, etc. It is insane.



hkOrion

 

[WT]

We have that problem in our area. 3-5 disadvantaged youths mugging somebody on the street. White tees and shaved heads.

 

[Sawdust]

Well, your premise is false, as I'm sure that you carry a BUG, too...right?

Of course I'd take all that I could with my gun to reduce the number that I'd have to take-on hand-to-hand. I can hold my own in that arena, as long as it is three or less.

Been there, done that, got that t-shirt.

Sawdust (this is assuming that the "run like hell" option is not available, as that would be my desired course of action)

 

[Dionysusigma]

This is why God invented double-stack 9mm autoloaders and the occasional 32-round mag to go with them.

Better yet, this is why Nike invented a better running shoe.

 

[GeneC]

Down in fla, XXL jerseys and jeans. Note to self, don't stop anywhere near Denver.

 

[Mulliga]

If you have a CCW, could you lawfully conceal an AK? *drools*

 

[Average Guy]

disadvantaged youths

???


Puh-leeeeeeeze.

 

[firearms_instructor]

hkOrion: " clarification....
they have superior numbers to your current ammo supply. I usually carry a USP .40 with 11 rounds. 12 guys - 11 rounds = bad math.

So, do you try to take as many out as you can and then just run like hell? Or just run like hell?"

Hopefully, and most likely, you wouldn't have to shoot them all. Basic pack mentality applies in a gang, in any gang there'll usually be one or more leaders or instigators, the rest will (usually) be followers. Take out the leader(s), and the followers will probably turn tail and run, especially if they're wearing their leaders' brains and blood on their way-too-baggy shirts. [edited to add]: Any LEO types who have experience dealing with gangs care to comment on the validity of this theory?

If I see a pack of goblins, I want to ID the leader/instigator/agressors ASAP, and if attacked I want to take them out first (head shots in your scenario). Improve my odds, so to speak. I have practised martial arts and I work out, so if they're STILL motivated after I'va taken out half of them, I can still mess them up some if running away isn't an option. If I have to go down, I'm going down fighting.

So 12 guys - 11 rounds = good math, if my shot placement is good and I'm left mano a mano with only one or two goblins.

[edited to add]:

 

[DonGlock26]

In the greater Detroit area, Black hoodie sweatshirts and black sweat pants are pretty much uniform. Put hood up and pull robbery, then disappear into the darkness. If running on foot ,take off shirt and you just changed your look. I won't go into the heartbeat test.

When threatened with death or GBH by a gang, shoot the leader/talker/threat maker. Most followers will split when the caps start busting.


Stay Safe,


Don

 

[carpettbaggerr]

12 guys - 11 rounds = bad math.

"You can't shoot us all, badass."

BANG

"Yeah, but I'll get an A for effort."


I really doubt you'd have to fire more than a few shots before the rest disappeared.

 

[GunnySkox]

I have a feeling, that if a group of uncouth morons decided that they needed twelve people to take down a single victim, that burning down one or two of them would be sufficient to send such scum of loose moral convictions packin'.

It's that whole mentality of not wanting to be the one that gets shot. I mean, there are usually enough people in a bank that a sudden rush by all of them could handily take down a robber while taking proportionally few losses, but nobody wants to get shot.

To reiterate, there might be more of them than you have bullets, but it's likely that if you display the hardware and the software (skill, that is) to drop the hammer on one of them, they'll prefer to escape than to have said hammer dropped on themselves.

~Slam_Fire

 

[armoredman]

"You can't shoot us all, badass."

" Ya, but you ain't gonna be the survivor, either."

 

[AngryBassets]

I have dealt with these 'troubled youths' quite frequently over the past 10 years.

I have a feeling that once a gun is produced and it's clear that you are proficient and willing (if needed) to use it, these individuals will take their interests elsewhere.

That said, if you pull that gun out, you'd better be ready to use it or have it taken away from you.