Teen violent crime on the rise
By Howard Ballou
Published: Jun. 20, 2024 at 6:42 PM CDT
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - “Well, I started out young in the streets, so only thing I thought that were really important values in my life was the stuff that was going on in the street,” said Willie Varnado.
If there’s anyone who knows what’s going on in the streets of Jackson and the metro area right now, it’s Willie.
Varnado said, “That Easter weekend, we went to the club, and I had shot like four or five people at the club. Went on the run, they put me on the news, 72-hour manhunt on the news and I ended up getting shot five times.”
Varnado admits he was part of the problem when he was a Canton teenager. He’s since turned his life around and spends his time trying to let his experience be a warning example for others.
But his past does help him understand the problem of youth violence we’re seeing in the Metro right now.
Zyon Scott, 16, Jordan Long, 16, John Foote, 17, Alex Bush, 17, Marvin Maas, 15. All teenagers. All charged with violent crimes.
Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said, “We have arrested five teens this year for murder. Five. That is very concerning to me.”
In May, a West Jackson family was terrorized by carjackers who took one of their vehicles. The suspect: A 14-year-old.
Wade says violent offenders are trending younger.
Chief Wade said, “12 to 17 [years old.] We’re seeing these individuals committing crimes.”
It’s a disturbing trend Circuit Court Judge Faye Peterson first told me about in a 2023 interview.
“We’ve seen so many very youthful offenders between the [ages] of 13 and 17 being arrested for armed carjacking, robbery, murder, capital murder, and aggravated assault,” she said.
Wade said much of this activity can be linked to gangs.
“Yes, we have a gang problem here in the city of Jackson, we have a cycle of violence. This is what it looks like: gang activity, drug activity, retaliation, circle of violence, cycle of violence. And we’re trying to break this cycle of violence. For the first time in probably 20 years, JPD now has an intelligence unit.”
Jason Reed said, “We do have a gang problem....”
Reed is the supervisory intelligence analyst over the FBI’s violent crime program for the state of Mississippi. He works with law enforcement agencies like JPD.
Reed said, “And I would say it’s more or less the neighborhood-based street gangs. They will have some type of national connection to some of those larger type gangs, such as Gangster Disciples or Vice Lords. But we’re seeing that a lot of them have that connection, just to be able to claim notoriety or to instill some fear or respect with their rivals.”
“It’s safe to say that they are recruiting, and they look to recruit. I think the target age would be between 12 and 15 is how they look to incorporate them right there or to get them indoctrinated into the gang structure at that early age because they know the youth can easily navigate the court system,” continued Reed.
The gang problem is definitely not limited to the capital city. Canton Police Chief Otha Brown said he too is having problems with teens and guns.
Brown said, “Teenagers, these guns. These kids are putting things out on social media, wherever they’re putting it out. They’re answering back. And once they’re answering back, they’re meeting up in places and shooting.“
Judge Faye Peterson said, ”The scary part about a young person with a gun is that they lack impulse control, you know, and a weapon makes people feel empowered, you think you can do whatever you want to.”
So, what can be done about it?
Everyone we talked to agreed kids this age are under a lot of peer pressure. Agent Reed said parents or guardians have to get involved.
Reed said, “Talk to your child, your children. Get to know what their internet activity is... Educate the public on how to look for certain gang symbols, paraphernalia, activities, slang... Get to know your child’s friends and get to know the parents of those friends. Connect with your community a little bit better. Explain to your child how to deal with peer pressure.”
Chief Wade cites his department’s outreach activities, like the Police Athletic League or PALS program, as one way to catch young people before the gang leaders recruit them.
“I’ve been personally a coach and a mentor with that program for 18 years now. I’m really aging myself, 18 years, but we’ve had so much success with that program. Right now, we currently have 38 kids in that program; 38 kids that you don’t have to worry about being involved in criminal activity here in the city of Jackson,” said Chief Wade.
Willie Varnado also wants it to stop. He said it was after his second stint in prison that he finally turned the corner on his life of crime. He says there was a gang war going on as he prepared to leave prison and return to his neighborhood, and he had a choice to make.
Varnado said, “That’s what I did. I chose my kids over the gangs.”
Varnado has now dedicated his life to trying to right some of the wrongs he freely admits he has committed, even reaching out to some of his past victims, asking forgiveness, and doing work for them free of charge.
Willie Varnado explained, “I used to do a little of everything. Like, a little of everything. I finally gave my life to God. I haven’t been perfect, but I haven’t done none of the stuff I used to do, and so I started the organization called ‘Helping Our Neighbors.’”
Varnado has started a youth football team and recently sponsored a Stop the Violence youth rally, hoping to reach that vulnerable age group before gang leaders reach them.
Chief Otha Brown said, “I applaud him for that.”
Willie Varnado said, “It’s just the lifestyle that I was living at the time... I was snorting powder, popping pills and all kinds of stuff going on. They had me on TV on a manhunt. And so, I said, ‘Man, I might as well go ahead [and] kill myself. I won’t have to worry about this, worry about that.’ But God had other plans. You know, God, He had other plans for me.”
On June 16, four teens were arrested in connection with a deadly drive-by shooting here in Jackson. One of those arrested: a 13-year-old girl.
If you need help or would like to offer your help, the Parents Guide to Gangs is one resource.
Varnado said one thing that could help ease the gang situation in Canton would be to reopen the Boys and Girls Club.
If you want to help him with that and his foundation, Helping Our Neighbors, contact Varnado by calling 601-613-7653.
See how Willie Varnado almost lost his life to the man he now calls a friend, nickname “Jaybird”, and who also happens to be Canton’s police chief.
Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.
Copyright 2024 WLBT. All rights reserved.
