Black on Black crime in Americus

In the wake of the recent shooting of a local teen members of N.UBI.A (National Unity of Blackmen In America) have been combing the streets of Americus talking to the youth about black on black crime and gang activity.

On March 22, two men had been fighting near the 200 block of South Dudley Street late that Saturday night, when one allegedly pulled out a .40-caliber handgun and fired, hitting instead a 15-year-old bystander in the chest. Eugene Edge, Jr., Grand Hierophant of N.U.B.I.A, feared it was the same story as the two other shootings in Americus this year. "I felt as if it could have been one of us again," said Edge. His suspicions were confirmed two days later after Octavius Dodson, 19, was charged with aggravated assault and jailed.

"I knew we had to do something." "Statistics show that most crimes perpetrated against blacks are by blacks," he said. "A lot of it is landing us in the criminal justice system or dead."

Edge said his group is about to step up their fight against black-on-black crime. "We want to steer young black guys into becoming more of a unified force," Edge said. The group is planning a gang summit this June, designed to deter young blacks from gang related activity. Edge said they hope the summit can provide positive programs which stress the importance of education.

Henry Snipes, NUBIA Supreme captain said, "they also hope to address the issue of many black fathers being absent in the lives of their sons."

"The absence of the father has been one of the biggest problems in the black community," he said. "Without a father sometimes there can be no discipline." Matt Wright, president of the area branch NAACP, said he believes the issue has more to do with economics than race. "The economy and where they are living is really the driving force behind it," he said.

Wright suggested the community needed to express to young black men the importance of good morals and respect for others.

"We have to show them a better way to do things," he said. However, Wright added he believes the media sensationalizes a lot of the black-on-black crime issues.

"It's Caucasians on Caucasians too, it's not just blacks shooting up everybody," Wright said.

Edge, the son of a Plains councilman by the same name, said it is important for the black community to get involved in deterring black-on-black crime, and even added they should play a larger role in patrolling their own streets.