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Feds, State Authorities Address East Palo Alto Gang Violence

EAST PALO ALTO (KCBS) – Federal, state and local agencies gathered in East Palo Alto on Wednesday to address the burgeoning problem of gang violence in the city.

The final straw may have occurred last month, when a three-month-old baby was shot and killed and his parents were wounded when gunmen mistook them for rival gang members.

East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis said his department wants to send a strong message that these type of actions will not be tolerated.

KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:

"No level of violence is acceptable. We have to start with that. But clearly, the murder of a three-month-old is completely beyond humanity," Davis said. "There has to be a response to it so that every shot caller, every leader inside, whether he or she is in prison or not, has to know that when something like that happens, that the world comes down on them and it makes it clear that it can never happen again."

San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks said even though his jail has an overcrowding problem, they will try their best to keep gang members off the streets.

"Regardless of what happens with state realignment or increased population in the jails, we will always make room for these violent gang members. They cannot operate in our communities," Munks said.

Sheriff Munks said validated gang members make up 20 percent of his jail population.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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