On the heels of last week’s fatal gang shooting in Newhall, a gang investigator with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is scheduled to discuss recent gang-related activity at the city of Santa Clarita’s Anti-Gang Task Force meeting in Newhall Thursday.
Detective Dan Finn is expected to answer questions about recent events at a meeting Thursday at the Newhall Community Center by the Metrolink Station beginning at 10 a.m.
“That’s what we do,” Finn told The Signal Wednesday.
Finn is expected to field questions after an introduction given by Community Services Administrator Hope Horner.
Sure to top Thursday’s discussion is last week’s fatal shooting in Newhall in which a Brown Familia gang member was shot and killed.
Det. Q. Rodriguez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Homicide Bureau told The Signal last week that the Apr. 3 shooting on Bottletree Lane near the intersection of Valle Del Oro and Dockweiler Drive, was gang-related.
“The victim is a documented member of Brown Familia,” he said, referring to the gang. “At this point, we’re not certain as to the identity of the gang suspected in the shooting.”
Also scheduled to speak at the meeting are Jennifer Del Toro, representing the City Manager’s Office, and graffiti removal specialist Andrew Pastor.
Del Toro is slated to talk about a crime reduction strategy plan while Pastor updates the community on efforts aimed at removing graffiti.
Pastor has been responsible for performing private property abatement, overseeing Community Court and volunteer graffiti abatement projects, supervising part-time graffiti employees, and overseeing graffiti equipment maintenance.
Since 1991, the Anti-Gang Task Force – now called the Neighborhood Empowerment Safety Team has worked to discourage gang activity, lessen the appeal of gangs, and reduce gang crime in Santa Clarita through partnerships, proactive programming, and networking, according to the city’s website.
The NEST consists of a Steering Committee and a Gang Outreach Committee. Members meet quarterly at off-site locations to discuss strategies for addressing local gang issues.
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