Gang Ties To Kroger Blaze Probed
Contributed photo
Kenneth Roger McCoy
BY CLAIRE GALOFARO
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
BRISTOL, Va. – City police confirmed Monday that the May fire at the Kroger store is believed to have been gang-related.
They’ve charged an 18-year-old Abingdon man, Kenneth Roger McCoy, of Mahogany Drive, with accessory to arson, conspiracy to commit arson and gang recruitment of a juvenile.
Last week, two teenage girls, who police say actually lit the May 21 blaze, were charged. Their names were not released.
While the fire sent dozens of shoppers to the grocery store’s exits, there were no injuries and only minor damage, mostly from the store’s sprinkler system. The store was up and running less than 12 hours later.
One girl, 13, was charged with arson and conspiracy. A 17-year-old believed to be her accomplice was charged with principle in the second degree arson and conspiracy.
McCoy is awaiting a July 23 hearing at the city jail, where he is being held without bond, said Detective DeeDra Branson.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Branson, McCoy is the self-described leader of a local faction of a national gang.
“It certainly seems like the risk to the general public has increased,” Branson said. “This is still an ongoing case, there will definitely be some additional investigating.”
In his statement, McCoy described the arson as a gang initiation. He said he enlisted the two girls and a third juvenile to set fire to the cosmetics aisle of Kroger, the complaint states. Afterward, McCoy told police he presented the 13-year-old with a bandana symbolizing her acceptance into the gang.
Detective Vicki Byrd, who heads the city Police Department’s gang task force, said the fire is the first dangerous offense they’ve seen from McCoy’s gang.
“This particular set has not been around very long,” she said. “This might nip it in the bud.”
Byrd and Branson declined to identify the particular gang affiliation, saying publicity tends to jump-start criminal activity.
McCoy’s crew is one of a number of local gangs that copy-cat a national gang in colors and name, but without official ties or affiliation, they said.
“It’s like you opened a McDonald’s, but didn’t pay franchise fees,” Byrd said.
She said the rise in Bristol’s gang activity is part of a national trend, primarily in small, unsuspecting communities.
“It’s more a gang presence than it is a gang problem,” Bryd said. “Where you’ve got drugs, you’ve got gangs. Where you’ve got gangs, you’ve got drugs. It is so difficult to stamp out because the gang is like a surrogate family. It’s a culture that governs almost everything they do.”
| (276) 645-2531
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Reader Reactions
Wrong generation for Helen Reddy?? That’s interesting. I thought you had spoken here about having high school aged kids. Hmmm….Helen Reddy came along in the mid 70s. I would’ve thought you’d be more familiar with that song. Too bad you weren’t aware of it. It seems to fit you so well.
I was not saying men are dumb. You are such an antagonist. My point was really that a single parent of any gender can raise a well rounded, mature, law abiding happy adult. I don’t care whether they are a man or a woman. And yes I remember Helen Reddy..but barely and dont’ remember the song. Wrong generation.
Sure am glad bristol was smart and voted down guns in the park,now we can feel safe the law abiding citizens in this story will not be in our parks,only our shopping centers.
Hey evaningstar,
Do you remember a singer named Helen Reddy? I’ll bet you do, and I’ll bet your favorite song was one she did called….I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar.
The way you downplay the role of men is pretty funny, and a little surprising. Oh well, I suppose I should simply consider the source.
Ole dumb men just get in the way of you superior women, don’t they?
The Religous who came to America were kin to the Musliums we now fight. They left Eroupe because their were hated because of their strict religious beliefs or the Cathloic were hounding them.
Reglious Zealots either way you look at it. The kings religion lol. They big property owner sat on the throne and governed even the religion prasticed—that came to the USA too.
Just because you choose not to know History and the Republican Party thinks they can change history by telling the same old tired lie over and over do not expect the rest of us to fall for the crap-o-la.
achinarnie, I could not agree with you more. This country was founded on Christian principles that have been tossed out the door in the name of “progressiveness”, when what’s really happening is just a disintegration of what man has had from the beginning. The knowledge that he was part of something bigger than himself. Our arrogance, pride and greed have overshadowed all of this. The discipline that comes along with faith has been lost in so many families and when the children start out without any kind of belief, thinking they can do what they want with no consequences, who do we blame? It’s our responsibility to start them out this way. If they get older and decide they don’t believe the way they were taught anymore, then that is their decision and we have done our job. I’m not trying to Bible thump on anyone, but this discipline has been lost and that’s obvious any where you look.
Its not always the parents at fault in a teenager. This child came from a loving 2 parent household. You can only raise your kids to do their best and hope they turn out as we hope. Taking them to church and it sinking into their hard headed brains and understanding that this world is going to be alot harder on them then it is on us now is difficult. When they see a major percent of this world on drugs, not working but still have more then their neighbors that work their butts off to barely get by, what looks better to you?
Kids are going to what they want reguardless of what we tell them. No matter how good their home life is. I have seen an awesome child emerge from a terrible home life, it goes both ways.
Y’all are overlooking something obvious. Whether 1 parent or 2, the majority of our youth lack direction from not having a faith based upbringing. A family whose root is religion and the belief in the Lord is more likely to stay together than one that does not believe. As this country continues to disregard GOD and look to the things of man, mankind continues to slide toward evil.
Adults once again use drugs to ruin kids lives.
Kids should be warned not to trust adults.
How many dealer, bankers and lawyers make a living off of kids and drugs ? This is a large industry including the jails, state employees and now private prisons.
Jailing people for drugs is a real economic driver for our society.
I can now see why China handeled their drug problem the way they did.
For those of you that have responded to my comments about the single parent issues.
There are lots of exceptions to the point I made about it being better if there are two parents instead of one raising kids.
But the statistics do NOT lie.
And for evaningstar, obviously you are either a single mom yourself or you actually believe what you type.
Anyone that has any sense at all knows that especially in the times that we live in it is better for a married couple raising their children than to have all that put upon one parent.
It is a fact that there are lots of great parents that are raising their kids on their own. But if they were being totally honest given the chance to have a good spouse in the mix helping in that task, they would take that anyday.
Again facts do NOT lie, even though your opinion is different.
A wise person once told me, opinions are like %$^&, many people have them and most of them stink.
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