Cape Henlopen confrontations raise gang questions

Sussex County has had little to no gang activity in the past, but some recent incidents have law enforcement officials watching the Cape Henlopen School District a little more closely. Roughly a month ago, a confrontation between a group of Cape Henlopen High School students and members of the school’s football team broke out in the Midway Shopping Center, with reports of physical violence. Verbal assaults and threats were reported earlier this year, as well, according to officials.

“It’s really difficult to say how many [associated students] there are,” noted Sgt. Walter Newton of Delaware State Police Troop 7 in Lewes. “We have seen some aggressive altercations, but the students involved with these incidents seem to have a common thread.”

That thread? An apparent appreciation for the music of rap group Insane Clown Posse, or ICP.

“It’s hard to identify these students as a gang,” Newton stated. “Maybe it’s just following the band.”

ICP, a hardcore hip-hip duo out of Detroit, Mich., is known for their elaborate live performances and, most notably, using white and black face paint to resemble clowns. Their fans have come to be called “Juggalos.” And, while Juggalos have not been identified in Delaware as an active gang, in parts of Utah, Arizona, California and Pennsylvania, authorities have classified the Juggalos as gangs, though Juggalos have denied connection with gang activity and being a fan of ICP is not directly associated with being involved with crime or gang activity.

However, the stabbing death of a 21-year-old in northeastern Pennsylvania earlier this year raised some questions about the ICP fans being part of a gang after it was learned that two teenage murder suspects in the case had identified themselves as Juggalos on their MySpace pages. One suspect was wearing an Insane Clown Posse shirt when he was taken into custody.

Sussex County has not seen crimes of this level being associated with the Juggalos, but authorities are definitely keeping an eye out, particularly after the conflicts between some Juggalos at Cape Henlopen high school and some of the school’s athletes, which erupted at and after a football game in Laurel.

“The incidents we’ve had may just be a loosely associated group who follows the band,” said Newton, “but, as far as the department is concerned, there is no organized gang activity going on in the state that we know of.”

State Troop 7 out of Lewes has started working closely with the Cape Henlopen High School resource officer in hopes of clearing up the past altercations and preventing other ones.

An incident last month, in which a 16-year-old student brought a martial arts throwing star to Cape Henlopen High School and threw it at a wooden cabinet in a classroom in which other students were present, is being examined closely, Newton said, as the student’s involvement with the trouble-making group from the school was investigated.

“Our troop works closely with the school district to monitor any suspicious or threatening behavior,” said Newton. “When we receive any further intelligence, we will take appropriate steps. We don’t turn a blind eye to these situations, but, for now, we’re operating on a case-by-case basis.”

There have been no reports of similar activity or confrontations around the Indian River School District.

“The police departments communicate throughout the area,” noted Ocean View Police Department’s Chief Ken McLaughlin. “We all share information, and we’re well aware of what’s gone on up at Cape. Thankfully, there’s nothing like that around this area, and based on information made available to me, I don’t believe we have any organized gangs going on.”

At Indian River High School, any appreciation for ICP from students has shown no correlation with mischievous or criminal acts.

“All of our students pretty well comply with our regulations,” said IRHS assistant principal Mike King. “While wearing an Insane Clown Posse shirt is not necessarily a mandate as part of our dress code, it is discouraged. In one incident, a student was asked to turn their shirt inside out and not to wear it again, and they politely complied.”

“It’s not easy to identify which students and how many are involved [with the reported activity],” said Newton, “but we’re doing what we can.”