Street Gang Life

Tipton County Sheriff Pancho Chumley has strong words for Covington gang members. He says he’s determined to run them out of Covington, no matter what it takes. “All they are are terrorists. Why should we look at them any differently than international terrorists. They’re shooting, burning, right here in the streets of Covington and Tipton County. There’s more gang activity in Covington, Tennessee than anywhere else in Tipton County, Tennessee,” said Chumley. In just six months, Chumley says crime in Covington has increased. There have been 42 aggravated assaults, 62 burglaries, 54 drug arrests, 84 cases of theft over $500, and 248 cases of theft under $500. In all, 543 crimes have been reported since January of this year. And after a recent rash of home and business burglaries and thefts, Chumley says residents in north Tipton County are on edge and with good reason. “Whenever we have people worrying about standing in front of windows or sitting in front of the window watching TV, it’s more than a problem,” he said. Chumley says aggressive enforcement and patrol through the streets of Covington is the only way to get rid of the gang problem. He was there minutes after gangs fired shots and burned up two cars just off South Main Street. Chumley says rounds of gunfire oftentimes kill innocent people. “We don’t dodge certain parts of town because people have thuggish behavior. We move the thugs out of here. That’s what we need to do,” added the sheriff. Sheriff Chumley says he plans to work with Covington Police to help curb the crime there.
Action News 5 – Memphis, Tennessee