Excerpt: Ernie Enriquez and Chris White — and many other former gang members — aren’t trying to kill each other anymore.

Just before Devil’s Night 1995, television news crews went sniffing around southwest Detroit. Knowing the neighborhood was notorious for its Devil’s Night violence and destruction, they camped out early and asked local gang members to point out which buildings they planned to vandalize so they could get the action on film.

The gang members were appalled, and approached Alex Montaner, then director of youth programs at St. Anne’s Church, with their concern.

“I used that as the beginning of gang mediation,” recalls Montaner. He told the gang leaders, “Why don’t we prove that we’re bigger than that? Why don’t we prove we can turn this city around?”

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