Lorain Councilman "Crazy Eddie" Edwards is concerned that there might be a gang war brewing in Lorain. Lord, I hope not. If he's right, the fight I saw a couple of weeks ago may have been related to this.

07/22/2005
Five shooting incidents in a week
MIKE SAKAL and ALEX M. PARKER , Morning Journal Writers

LORAIN -- The fifth shooting incident in Lorain this week has a councilman concerned there is a turf war in the city involving gangs, drugs and young men with grudges.

In the latest shooting early yesterday, shots were fired from a vehicle at 17th Street and Long Avenue, according to a police report. So far three people, including a 16-year-old boy, have been shot. Three men have been arrested in three of the incidents, according to police reports.

While police said they are investigating to see if the shootings are linked, they are tightlipped about details.

However, Councilman Eddie Edwards, D-5, whose ward includes parts of South Lorain, where one of this week's shootings happened, said the incidents stem from gangs in the city having turf wars over drugs and "beefs" with one another.

"You talk to these people -- senior citizens, parents and kids -- and they'll tell you that when they hear a knock on their door at night, they are scared to death to answer it," Edwards said.

"They will tell you they know that there are guns out there, and if you get close to some of these gangs, they will let you know.

"People who aren't a member of the African-American community don't realize what a problem it is," Edwards said. "There's kids, 11 years old to 18, 19 years old, who are in gangs. The problems are about drugs, turf wars and guys who have beefs with one another. It's part of Lorain, period."

Part of that problem is parents who aren't aware of the activities that their children are involved in, Edwards said.

None of the suspects arrested has been charged with any drug-related offenses, according to police reports.

Two men were reported shot on Apple Avenue early Monday; a 16-year-old boy was shot on Elyria Avenue Monday night; shots were fired at a car near 17th Street and Long Avenue Tuesday night; shots were fired at a car by 30th Street and Globe Avenue early Wednesday; and early yesterday, shots were fired at a car, again by 17th Street and Long Avenue, according to police.

One of the men arrested, Billy Gilbert, 20, of Lorain, was the victim of a shooting early on Monday morning on Apple Avenue , according to police reports. He was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with carrying a concealed weapon in connection with one of the two shooting incidents by 17th and Long, according to a police report.

The first shooting incident on Long, late Tuesday, was reported by two witnesses who said someone in a vehicle fired shots at another vehicle, the report said.

In another incident, David West, 23, of Elyria, was arrested for felonious assault in connection with the shooting of the 16-year-old boy Monday night on Elyria Avenue. The boy was shot in the lower leg, according to police. Yesterday, West denied he shot the boy. "I don't shoot people," he said.

The 16-year-old boy told police he had been at Apple Avenue early Monday morning where two men were shot, according to police. He indicated to police the shootings were connected, police said. Police have released little information about those shootings.

The third man arrested, Jason Fowler, 19, of Lorain, is charged with felonious assault in connection with a shooting incident Wednesday morning at 30th Street and Globe, according to a police report. A Dodge Caravan with two men was shot at several times and Fowler was arrested at East 34th Street and Fulton Road after the men in the van identified him as being in the group where someone fired the shots, according to the report. None of the other men were arrested, the report said.

In the latest shooting incident, Gilbert was arrested just after 1 a.m. yesterday by the Lorain County Strike Force Team which was patrolling around East 28th Street and Caroline Avenue. They stopped his vehicle for a safety violation, according to the report.

Capt. Dennis Cavanaugh, administrative coordinator of the Strike Force Team, said the team was in the area at the request of the Lorain Police Department because of the recent shootings.

A sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun was found under the driver's seat of Gilbert's truck, and there was a bullet hole through the front grill and radiator, the report stated.

Edwards credited the Strike Force Team, formed about a month to combat escalating violence in the county, with keeping aggressively going after suspects.

"Unless they don't keep the heat on, the problem won't go away," Edwards said. "If they keep focused, they're going to get the problem eradicated, and it'll make it difficult for these people to do business in Lorain. If they keep locking people up, it'll get somebody's attention. We'll get the little guy, and we'll get the big guy."

Edwards also said that more people such as city leaders, ministers and parents need to get involved in helping rid the problem.

"City and community leaders need to stand up and be counted," Edwards said.