The murder of a 17-year-old youth in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse in 1991 alerted local residents to the reality of street gangs in their community. Months before the shooting, the police had spotted the first signs of street gang activity in DeKalb County. They notified the citizens that they should prepare to address the nationwide movement of street gangs from big cities to small communities. But it took the murder to mobilize 400 concerned citizens to take action against gangs. Recognizing drugs as the common denominator of street gangs, the DeKalb County Partnership for a Substance Abuse Free Environment organized action committees to sponsor youth groups, to assist residents in subsidized housing, to educate the public through media articles, and to provide guidance and support to virtually every aspect of the community. The article includes suggestions on using community volunteers and a list of some of the groups that contributed to gang prevention efforts in DeKalb County.