Former Gang Members Issue Warning to Youth

Former Gang Members Issue Warning to Youth

Thursday, July 08, 2004 at 13:22

A group of former street gang members from Prince Albert are speaking out against gang recruitment in the city.

Lance Ironchild is one of the coordinators for a group called Warrior Spirit Walking.

He says he is still feeling the effects of four beatings he received a few years ago after telling fellow gang members he was leaving the life.

Now, operating in conjunction with the P.A. Youth Outreach Centre, he and others have been traveling to schools and community clubs warning youth of what life in the gangs is really like.

He says most of the youth recruited into the clubs find themselves committing crimes before they even have a chance to back out.

Ironchild says a lot of the people he used to hang out with are now doing time for murder, robbery and assault.

He hopes youth in the city, and throughout northern Saskatchewan, realize there are consequences if they get involved in gang activity.