A North Carolina pastor, who once had gang ties himself, is sounding the alarm that Asheville’s leaders have ignored his decade-long proposal for a youth gang-prevention program, a move he believes has contributed to the recent surge in violence that has rattled the popular tourist city. Dr. Ronald Gates first presented his plan for an early intervention program in 2016, aiming to steer children away from gangs and retaliatory violence, but city officials have consistently downplayed the issue, even after a series of shootings left two dead and seven injured, with leaders instead labeling the incidents as disputes between friends rather than gang activity. Gates, the senior pastor of Greater Works Church of God in Christ and a Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office chaplain, argues this distinction is a deliberate attempt to ‘whitewash the narrative,’ failing to address the root cause of young people being drawn into dangerous groups by promises of money, belonging, or status. His proposed ‘Gang Free’ program, modeled after a successful Los Angeles initiative, would educate fourth to sixth graders on gang recruitment tactics and consequences, but crucially, would also pair this education with real-world alternatives like mentorship from law enforcement, community leaders, and local business owners, offering pathways to legal earnings through entrepreneurship and stipends. Gates, who credits his own father, brother, and sports with pulling him away from a similar path in his youth, believes that proactive intervention is essential, especially for young men without strong father figures who may seek guidance from older gang members. He points to his own warning in 2016 that Asheville would see escalating violence within two years, a prediction that appears to have come to pass as state data shows a 42% increase in violent crimes in 2024 compared to 2016, largely driven by aggravated assaults. Despite the city’s reluctance to formally label the violence as gang-related, Gates insists that addressing the cycle of retaliation requires more than just labeling, demanding that leaders invest in practical support and alternative opportunities for at-risk youth before they face the ultimate costs of prison or death.
Adapted from: U.S. News Today on Fox News
