Possible Gang Activity in Buckhead?

Buckhead residents have voiced concerns that an increase of graffiti around Northside Drive could be a sign of gang activity in the area, and the Fulton County District Attorney's Office is launching a gang initiative to determine if gangs are active in the area. Additionally, there has been at least one Zone 2 shooting incident this year that police think is gang-related.

As for the area near the concerning graffiti, Buckhead's Zone 2 commander Major Van Hobbs told Buckhead Patch, "I have not seen any gang-related incidents but that does not mean some have not occurred by gang members coming from other areas."

In another part of Zone 2, officers reported in January that four males, possibly members of the Hispanic gang Surano 13, drove up to a man and began shooting at him on the 1500 block of Chattahoochee Avenue NW.

Hobbs said he doesn't know of any other recent reports in Zone 2 of gang activity involving Surano 13, but all evidence of suspected gang activity is always sent to the department's gang unit for investigation.

According to the Buckhead Reporter, Zone 2 Community Prosecutor Tiffany Harlow said the prosecutors are contacting Atlanta high school students about the prevalence of teen gang activity.

Harlow said the DA's office plans to start a council of student leaders and achievers who can reach out to and possibly help students who are at-risk to become gang members, according to the newspaper.

As for the graffiti which had residents concerned, Hobbs told Buckhead Patch that the department is working to remove it. He said he sent information and photos of the graffiti along to the department's gang unit, which classified this particular graffiti as "tagging," which is a way of leaving one's identifying nickname or symbol.

Do you think there's possible gang activity in Buckhead? Are there alternative solutions to help mitigate gang activity in Atlanta? Tell us below in the comments.