November 18, 2008

Monday the Virginia Attorney General's Office released a powerful new video called "The Wrong Family, Virginia Fights Back Against Gangs." Many of the images are graphic, and they are all real. You will see video from real crime scenes and gang investigations in Virginia.

The video is supposed to be a wake-up call against gang violence.

Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Herring says, "Some of you had attended programs in the past that have anti-gang messages but I dare say I've never seen anything like this. My voice is still a bit shaky because frankly I wasn't prepared for it."

It's the life Christopher Robinson chose for himself.

"I basically joined a gang because I was looking for a family somewhere to fit into," Robinson says.

The consequences of that choice are pretty clear. After he was shot, he heard his doctor say he was probably going to die. Afraid to fall asleep in the hospital, he stayed awake, and lived to tell his story.

"I don't want to see another kids life ruined by gang or another kid crippled by gangs," he says.

In the video you hear from Robinson, gang members, police officers, and Virginia's Attorney General, Bob McDonnell.

"We need the best prevention and education strategies that we can put together in Virginia and we believe this video is going to be a very important part of it, having a united community approach," McDonnell says.

They all seem to agree life in a gang has one of three endings. They are jail, the hospital, or the cemetery.

The people involved in this video, hope it will keep kids from making the choice Robinson made.

"I would give anything to go back to that night ...I wouldn't be in a gang," he says.

McDonnell says hundreds of copies of this video are going across the state to law enforcement officers.

The video also features solutions and ways to prevent children from joining gangs through parent and community involvement.