'Goofy' photo gets brothers suspended from basketball team for alleged gang signs

A “goofy” photo of three brothers that ran in a local paper in Wisconsin doesn’t have anyone laughing and has led to two of the brothers being suspended from their high school basketball team.

The Sheboygan Falls News ran a photo of Jordan, Jamal and Juwaun Jackson where two of the brothers were making hand gestures that some people interpreted to be gang signs. The Jacksons were in the paper because they recently moved to the district.

"When you make a three, everyone does this sign. You've probably seen LeBron James or someone do it. I did the three in the picture, and my little brother pointed at the camera," Jordan said. "I did it like every other kid does it when they make a 3.”

After receiving complaints from parents, the Sheboygan Falls Superintendent asked the police department to investigate the matter. According to Sheboygan Falls Police Chief Steve Riffel, the gestures in the picture were confirmed as gang signs.

"I had no idea,” Jordan said. “They told us it meant blood."

Even if the school has an issue, at least some parents say they are fine with picture.

"It wouldn't bug me. I wouldn't ever have thought it was a gang symbol," said parent Brandie Ciske. "I thought they were a bunch of kids just being kids, really," said another parent, Malisa Mireles.

Either way, Jordan and brother Jamal won’t be playing against Plymouth on Friday

[TMJ 4] [WHBL]