After years of investigating, police have arrested 18 members of the Davenport-based street gang, the Low Riders.
Last week, a federal grand jury indicted 11 of alleged gang members on charges related to racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms. State and federal courts have leveled similar charges against the remaining 7 suspects, who were arrested earlier this week.
Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski says these arrests and indictments have been years in the making.
"This is a big hit for us as a city. This is a group that I can tell you that we have been dealing with - I've been here 30 years.... We've been dealing with this street gang since I came on."
At a joint press conference with Davenport Police today, U.S. Attorney Marc Krickbaum had a warning for any gang members still at large.
"If you are a gang member, and you are carrying a gun, or you are selling drugs, or you are engaged in violent acts in this city, you should know that... we will charge you in state court or in federal court with any crime that we can prove."
Nonfatal shootings in Davenport have doubled this year. Most incidents of gun violence have been target specific and not random acts of violence, according to the Davenport Police Department. They are often tied to gang and drug activity.
