Mobile County sheriff fed up, says gang violence ignored for years

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. ( WKRG ) — Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said he is fed up with gang activity in the area.

During an interview Tuesday, Sheriff Burch admitted that one of the reasons gang violence is up is because it was denied by law enforcement for so long.

“For a long time, law enforcement denied there was a gang problem in Mobile and we’re starting to see the results of that,” said Sheriff Burch.

Gang violence has taken the blame for many shootings in Mobile County.

A shooting on New Year’s Eve 2022 in downtown Mobile that injured nine and killed one had gang ties, according to Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson at the time.

In January 2024, a shooting on I-165 was also found to be gang-related by investigators. An 18-year-old was killed and a 9-year-old was injured in that shooting.

Mobile Police said 44 gang members were arrested in 2022 after a wave of gun violence in the city.

After the 44 people were arrested, former Director of Public Safety Lawrence Battiste said, “It starts out as juvenile gangs, and it continues with many of these young people into their young adulthood.”

On Tuesday, Sheriff Burch said his office and the Mobile Police Department’s Gang Unit are working together in an effort to decrease gang violence in the area.

“I’ve stated publically several times we are targeting these gang members and if they continue the activity they’re going to see us and we’re going to lock their a** up,” said Sheriff Burch.

As for the gang members themselves, Sheriff Burch has a message.

“We’re coming in heavy and we’re going to eradicate these gang members,” said Burch. “They haven’t seen us come hard yet, but they’re about to.”

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