Students should avoid Lake Devo at night
By Kimberly Sorokiwsky
A street gang has found a home behind Lake Devo, according to Ryerson Security.
“This is an all-points bulletin that a gang has infiltrated the Ryerson campus,” confirmed Karen Craig, manager of campus security.
Security guards and police have observed the group hanging around Lake Devo on Friday and Saturday nights between 7 and 11 p.m. Ryerson Security is now monitoring the area closely.
“The group displays common behaviour and appearance, which leads us to believe that it is a gang [rather than a bunch of street kids]… when they spot security they immediately vacate the area,” said Security Supervisor Terry Ladouceur.
The rocks, benches and trees behind Lake Devo make for poor visibility — and an ideal loitering place for a gang. Already the benches have been tagged with gang graffiti.
“It’s a proven fact that graffiti breeds more graffiti, which, in turn, breeds violence. Various studies have shown that a dirty environment filled with graffiti leads to more graffiti and acts of aggression,” said Craig.
Ryerson Security isn’t overly concerned that this will be the case with Lake Devo because the City Parks and Recreation does regular maintenance of the area and Craig expects the city to keep it clean.
Craig warns people to stay clear of Lake Devo in the evening. “I question anyone walking in that area at night because it’s basically a back alley. If you have to get to the parking lot, definitely make use of the Security Campus Walk.”
Ryerson Security cannot confirm if the gang has committed any crimes on campus.
According to Detective Constable Brian Keown of Police Intelligence Services, some gangs are more dangerous than others.
“Any gang would pose a danger. If it’s just a graffiti gang, there’s a minimal amount of danger…if it’s a street gang that is involved in some kind of drug related activity, they’re looking for money so there may be theft, purse snatches, anything from extortion to home invasions to selling drugs,”
Metro Police regularly circle the four blocks of Ryerson and have noticed the gang, which is not common in this area. One member of the gang was taken into custody for questioning.
“This group will migrate elsewhere if they know that the police know about them. Gangs are always on the move, they don’t want to stay in the same place,” said Craig. “Weather is another deterrent; it’s getting cold now, so the gang is more likely to move into one of the nearby malls.”
The possibility of the gang migrating off the Ryerson campus is extremely high, according to Craig, but security is still keeping a close eye on the Lake Devo area because, “it’s a hot area for a gang hangout.”
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