A breakdown of hybrid gangs in Colorado Springs
One Colorado Springs hybrid gang member is scheduled to appear in court this week as he faces charges of solicitation and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of another one of his gang members.
Derrick Bernard Jr. is accused of plotting to kill William Underwood in 2019 while in jail. Bernard and Underwood, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Gazette, were both members of the 900's hybrid gang.
What is a hybrid gang?
Hybrid gangs are unique in that they have members from different racial and ethnic groups, unlike traditional gangs. They can form connections or alliances with different gangs depending on circumstances, police say.
According to the Department of Justice, hybrid gangs also differ from traditional gangs in that individuals participate in multiple gangs, have unclear rules, codes of conduct and symbolic associations such as colors, hand signs and graffiti.
They may include cooperation of other, more established gangs, including some rival gangs, in criminal activity.
Public safety concerns primarily stem from violent conflicts that occur between rival gang members where citizens are caught in the middle, police say. Other safety concerns include the victimization of citizens to acquire funds, items of value and firearms.
When did hybrid gangs first start appearing in Colorado Springs?
The Colorado Springs Police Department began documenting hybrid gangs within the city in 2012, but said they existed before then. The Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention began to write about hybrid gangs a year prior, in 2011.
What is the demographic of these hybrid gangs?
Colorado Springs police has documented 10 hybrid gangs, according to department gang unit investigators. Some of those documented gangs include BDG 247 (Crip), PB4L (Crip), YTN Mob (Blood) and Walkdown (EBK).
Police say the Bloods street gang has 113 documented members; Piru, which falls under Blood affiliation, has 20; and the Crips has 233 members.
Both Crips and Bloods have been in Colorado Springs since Colorado Springs police began documenting gangs; they do not have an exact date for when members starting popping up in the city.
Law enforcement officers in Colorado Springs claim the hybrid gangs are made up primarily of juveniles with no specific races or ethnicities.
The 900's
The Colorado Springs Police Department says the 900's operate under the guise of a music recording and entertainment group but commit crime to further their enterprise. Due to an ongoing homicide investigation, the department was unable to comment further on any other details regarding the hybrid gang, such as specific crimes committed, according to PIO Caitlin Ford.
In the arrest affidavit, law enforcement alleges Bernard had communication with Aee Shawn Mathews throughout early 2019 leading up to Underwood's killing. Mathews faces murder charges as well for his alleged involvement.
According to law enforcement, Mathews is a member of the "Crips" street gang. While the 900's gang is a hybrid gang that allows members to participate while still maintaining membership in their respective gangs, both Bernard and Underwood were Blood affiliated.
While Bernard and Mathews were connected, as Mathews is the brother of one of Bernard's former partners, police were unable say if it is unusual for a Blood and a Crip to work together, especially regarding homicide.
