Sam Elfay was just 13 years old when he started skipping school. Somewhere along the way Elfay had lost interest. As soon as his father dropped him off at school he’d wait until his dad left, then skip class. Elfay’s appetite for more danger in his life grew. He started to break into houses and cars, stealing whatever he could get his hands on. Then one day he stole a gun from someone’s car. That changed everything. It led him into the Crips gang. Then he met Jason McBride, a youth violence crime prevention specialist who managed to convince Elfay to take a different path away from gun crime.

Host, reporter and producer: Jo Erickson

Producers: Stephanie Wolf and Shane Rumsey

Editor: Rachel Estabrook

Music: Daniel Mescher

Executive producer: Kevin Dale

Art: Jodi Gersh

Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Kevin J. Beaty, Shelby Filangi and Jon Pinnow