"Hood" Part 2 of 3

"They Called Him 'Hood'"
By Mitch Harris

Lewis sat quietly for a minute. He appears to smile and pokes at what is left of his food before continuing. Since we started talking I can tell you that “Hood” is an actual sweet guy. I know that’s not a good word to use for a guy who uses swords, knives, and arrows against criminals. He doesn’t look threatening at all. He looks like the guy who’d let you cut ahead in line or hold a door open for your mother. Maybe that’s why he was so good at what he did.

LR: How did I start? I was being robbed.

MH: What?

LR: Robbed. Some guy pulled a gun on me.

MH: And you thought to yourself “I’m gonna fight crime”?

LR: No. I thought “I’m about to die on my own street!”

MH: So what did you do? I have been robbed before and the last thing I thought about was fighting back.

LR: Neither did I. He put a gun in my face and I just reacted. He asked for my wallet and I could feel myself smiling. This isn’t the first time I’ve been robbed. Even if I had been shot the look on his face when I kicked his kneecap lose was worth it.

MH: Wow.

LR: Yeah. He started dropping and I kicked him in the face.

MH: That’s incredible. Then what happened?

LR: I stole his money.

That’s right. Lewis Roberts robbed from the “rich” and gave to the poor. This is how he got the name “Hood.” After five successful “missions” Lewis began handing the money he took from various criminals to the lower income families in his neighborhood. “It seems to make sense to me” he says. “Been the other way ‘round for too long.”

MH: You seemed to get the attention of local law enforcement pretty quickly. And the public. How did that make you feel?

LR: Good. It felt real good, you know? I have a day job like everybody else. It don’t pay much but it’s a job. I know the police have a job too. “Protect and serve.” They weren’t protecting us that much but they sure as (censored) were serving us. I saw good people in my neighborhood getting beat, robbed, and killed. The least I could do was hand out some money.

MH: Did you ever keep any of the money?

LR: No.

MH: Honestly?

LR: Not a dime, man. It wasn’t for me to keep.

MH: Just take?

LR: Now you’re getting it. I already know that later tonight while you in bed I’ll be out in the streets doing for free what thousands of other (censored) are supposed to be doing.

MH: Are you worried about people copying you?

LR: The more the merrier. I wish more people would get off their asses and make a difference. I’m not talking about running a marathon for cancer or some (censored) or sending five dollars to some kid in Africa. Do something here. Do something where you live. See some trash, pick it up. Its not hard.

MH: What do you say to those who believe your methods are “harsh”?

LR: I would say if they know of a better way to take five dudes with guns down high on crack then please tell me. I would love to know. The same people that don’t like the way I do things are the same ones that live where (censored) like me aren’t needed. They don’t need bars on their windows. Their kids don’t even know anyone that has been shot. My ways are what it takes to get things done properly.

MH: Statistics show that crime within five miles of where you are active has dropped 73% over the last two weeks. Does that make you feel accomplished?

LR: Not at all, man. That just means that there are 27% of (censored) that don’t know the danger they are in when they cross me.

MH: Besides the public and law enforcements attention you’ve gotten some from local gangs.

LR: And?

MH: It would be silly for me to ask if you’re worried about being in danger. What about your friends and family?

LR: Believe me. The last thing they’d want to do is (censored) with someone I know.

(editors note: two days after this article was published Lewis Roberts mother was assaulted and his cousins house was burned; no arrests have been made)