The Winnsboro Department of Public Safety is battling an ongoing war with youth who feel that they should take the law into their own hands instead of working with law enforcement to solve the crime.

Public Safety Chief Freddie Lorick said some juveniles are reluctant to talk with officers about incidents they’re involved in.

“The main problem we’re facing with these kids is that they want to settle their own battles,” Lorick said.

One teenager, for example, who wanted to help his friend who was getting beaten up by a group of boys, pulled out a gun instead of calling the police department. On Monday afternoon, Lorick said, Trenton De’andre Sampson, 18, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm after officers arrived at Deer Wood Apartments, 647 U.S. Hwy. 321 Bypass S. in reference to the incident.

Sampson was outside and witnessed the fight, Lorick explained. He went into his home and came back out with a gun, the chief continued.

By the time officers responded to the call, the suspects had left the scene and Sampson had discarded the gun.

“As for the fight itself, we weren’t able to make any charges,” Lorick said, adding that WDPS is still looking for the assailants.

What concerns the chief the most is that teenagers as young as 14 are getting involved in criminal activity.

“When we were kids we fought with our fist, but now-a-days these kids go and get a gun,” he said.

Lorick said most juveniles involved in fights are charged with disorderly conduct if there is not a weapon is involved.

But even with the rise in arrests among teenagers, Lorick said he is still hesitant to say the crimes are gang-related or that the suspects are gang members.

“In the sense of the law, we can’t label these kids as gang members,” he said.

According to state law, “five or more individuals involved in criminal activity” is considered a gang. And most of the incidents don’t involve that many suspects.

Two other arrest were also made this week at Deer Wood Apartments.

On Tuesday, Lloyd Franklin Staple, 25, of Deer Wood Apartments, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, while Demetrice Manning, 20, of Winnsboro, was arrested and charged with trespassing. Manning is currently on a no trespass notice for the apartment complex.