ALBANY PARK — During a first-ever "Hispanic Beat Meeting" on Wednesday night, Albany Park Police District Cmdr. Elias Voulgaris blamed gangs for a recent spate of shootings.
Neighbors specifically pointed to Albany Avenue and Argyle Street — where West River Park's soccer field, track and playground attract large groups of all ages — as an area that, as one man put it, is getting "hotter" by the day.
"The gang violence you're seeing is internal strife of Latin Kings," Voulgaris said.
Residents asked for increased police patrols and cameras in the park, the latter of which Voulgaris said was "in the works."
Without divulging specific policing strategies, Voulgaris said the area was a "priority" for his officers.
"We know who the bad guys are," the commander said.
Though he's only held the district's top post for the past nine months, Voulgaris is no stranger to Albany Park, having been assigned to the neighborhood in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
"The little kids I used to chase are now big kids," he said.
"I'm proud to say [the district] is relatively safe, but we do have our gang activity," he said.
"The only way we're going to defeat these gang bangers is with everybody's help," said Voulgaris. "You have to call on any gang activity."
Among the violence that has neighbors on edge: A March 20 mid-afternoon shooting in the 4800 block of North Albany Avenue that left one man dead and another critically wounded; and a March 29 shooting of a man in the 3100 block of West Carmen Avenue.
Among the violence that has neighbors on edge: A March 20 mid-afternoon shooting in the 4800 block of North Albany Avenue that left one man dead and another critically wounded. [Provided]
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