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earthquake, major damage reported, major damage we can see in the video, but no reports of deaths. good morning to you all. 10:00 a.m. where i statistic here in atlanta, georgia. from the cnn center, this is your cnn saturday morning. i'm t.j. holmes. so glad you could be here with us. also coming up, muslims are getting the word out trying to sway public opinion with a new ad campaign. we'll talk to the man behind the message. also, this is something you don't see every day, current and former gang members holding their own news conference to criticize the police. are the gang members now the victims? we'll be talking to a former gang member this morning. sxhoo also, the disappointing unemployment numbers no doubt bringing hand wringing at the white house, but the president has a message of hope. you'll hear that ahead. but first, let's talk about it storm. earl was a hurricane, it's tropical storm now p about it's weakened, still there's a severe
individuals are that's saying can't nobody tell them to stop the violence. >> mr. pl brbradley, so much of violence according to the police are because of the gangs themselves. how much do you believe the gangs are responsible for? >> first of all, that's why we called the press conference, okay? the police department is known for sweeping anything -- anytime a child, a black child, or hispanic child has been killed, they sweep it up under guns, drugs and gangs and they don't investigate -- >> mr. bradley, you can telling me gangs are not responsible for a lot of the problems on the streets of chicago? >> i'll tell you criminals commit crimes. gangs do not commit crimes about. >> are criminals in the gangs? >> and i'm telling you -- criminals are in congress, too. >> are they in the gangs? okay. we documented congress long ago. we're talking about gangs right
the windy city has been plagued with violence. there have been more than 250 murders so far this year. we've got more than 4 and a half months to go. more than 60% of those 250 plus murders are gang related. here with us now, a former gang member, wallace bradley joins us. mr. bradley, we appreciate you being here. what is the definition in your eyes at least of a gang? >> a gang is a group of people that meet soecialbly and regularly. that's why it's not a crime to be a member of any gang, whether it's congress, fraternities, 100 black men. you name it. >> now, would you -- >> but what -- go ahead, i'm sorr sorry. >> i was going to ask, a lot of people have in their minds, when you hear about gangs, street gangs in particular, are you telling me you don't believe
now. criminals are not in gangs? >> criminals are in gangs. gangs are a part of congress. so you can't -- >> oh, mr. bradley -- >> you've got criminals that may be a part of your organization. >> mr. bradley, okay, i was trying to discuss ganks here. mr. brad i lrks i'm going to have to let you go here. i got to let you know. mr. bradley, i got to let you go here. but you brought up the superintendent there, the police chief there. the spring te we did ask for for a statement from the chicago police. we did not get one. we asked them to come on here, as well, with us. if we get a statement, we'll certainly pass that along to you. but, again, according to police there in chicago, 60% of the homicides have been committed by gang members. a quick break. we're right back.
alternative. >> innocent people are still being killed. if you got the solution, this shouldn't be any dollar amount attached to it. >> people will be calling press conferences and being angry and being mad and being worried about -- it says sounds likes's working. >> reporter: as for this gang member, he left the meeting with police mad but also having heard the message loud and clear. >> they say i'm going to be blamed for it i got to tell them no shoe, no killing, none of that, because i'm going to be blamed for something they're doing, so i got to get the word out that we can't have this in my area. they're saying i'm a gang leader, so i can't be held accountable for someone else doing it, so i got to at that time message out there and let them know because i'm going to be blamed for it if they do it. that's what he said they sathey. >> reporter: so i guess the meeting worked. >> it worked for me. >> he says the meeting with the cops worked at least for him. 60 other cities have held similar talks between cops an gangs. most showed some success. will it cork in chicago, though?