The FBI announced today that it will join the Maywood, Ill. police in investigating the 2006 murder of Officer Thomas Wood. Wood, 37, was the first officer ever slain in Maywood.

The incident shook the town, as evidenced by the heartfelt posts on an online memorial to Wood.

One poster, going only by the name “Friend,” said:

Dude whats good? You know the other day we were on your corner and had a little vigil for you. It was weird seeing all the squad car lights lit up, cause thats what it looked like the day it happen, except the only difference was I can’t say I was in such hurry to get there now.

Heartfelt or no, it was not sentiment that drove the FBI to take the case. Wood was involved in the Maywood Police Department’s effort to fight gang activity, leading the department to suspect that the murder was gang-related. Gangs, apparently, make the most wanted list.

According to chicagogangs.org, several gangs call Maywood home, including the Black Disciples, the Four Corner Hustlers and the Latin Kings.

This isn’t the first time that the feds have taken a shot at Chicago gangs. Recently, the FBI and Co. cracked down on gang leaders with the belief that without the head the body would fail. Still, gangs continue to rain down terror and bullets on the Chicago streets.

I want to hear from you readers: Will FBI involvement in the Maywood case make a difference? Or are gangs just too much a part of Chicago’s DNA to be spliced?

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