3 teens charged in attack by ‘Kosovo gang’ on F’ville man
The Citizen - Tuesday July 8, 2008; 5:14 pm

By: Ben Nelms

A gang by any other name is still a gang. And in the case of the “Kosovo Gang” from Peachtree City, three arrests have been made after a June 3 attack on an 18-year-old Fayetteville man in a dispute reportedly involving a girlfriend.

Police investigators from Fayetteville and Peachtree City are attempting to determine if the group has ties to other area crimes.

The incident was reported to Fayetteville Police June 3, though it took several weeks for investigators to work through the mesh of sometimes conflicting information and to accurately establish any gang affiliation before arrests could be made.

The investigation culminated last week with the arrest of 17-year-old Besnik Islami, of Peachtree City, charged with gang activity and battery, and two 16-year-olds, also from Peachtree City, charged with gang activity and simple battery, said Fayetteville Police Chief Steve Heaton.

Additional arrests are pending. The group is known locally as the Kosovo Gang, Heaton said.

Heaton said the June 3 incident occurred following a dispute over the old boyfriend and new boyfriend of a 17-year-old Fayetteville female. A group of 10 to 15 males allegedly affiliated with the Kosovo Gang arrived at the Wyngate Circle residence of a 18-year-old male where they initiated a fight with him and two other males present at the residence, said Heaton.

One of the three males was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion, and his two friends were beaten, Heaton said. The investigation thus far indicated that Islami might be the new boyfriend, Heaton said.

Fayetteville investigators working with Peachtree City Police determined from interviews with other Peachtree City juveniles that the group is referred to by some in Peachtree City as the Kosovo Gang, said Fayetteville Police spokesman Steve Crawshaw.

Investigators from Peachtree City and Fayetteville are attempting to determine if fights or other criminal activity is linked to the gang. Investigators said they were not aware of any colors or symbols used by the group, Crawshaw said.

Crawshaw said two of the males allegedly involved with the gang have subsequently moved. One is now living in Newnan, while the other is in Marietta, he said.

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