CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Parents with children are afraid to come to an east Charlotte park because it's littered with gang graffiti.

Police said trees, benches and sidewalks at the Albemarle Road Community Park on Harris Boulevard are all tagged with markings from two violent gangs. They said it's extremely rare to see this much graffiti in the same place.

The park is right next to Albemarle Road Elementary School.

"That is so horrible. That is terrible for the neighborhood, for the kids that go to school over there in that school," said Barbara Maynard, the daughter of a local resident.

Maynard often visits her mother in the Idewild Farms community, which is near the park. Her mother used to walk through the park, but won't anymore because of the gang markings.

The city's graffiti inspector said over the past few months the park has been tagged by gangs more than six times. Two Hispanic gangs seem to be fighting over the turf -- MS 13 and the Surenos.

Maynard said it's frightening and wants to see more police.

"They need to take further action, some security guard or police patrolling," she said.

Police have increased patrols in the area to make sure the fight over turf doesn't escalate to violence.

Officers in the Criminal Intelligence Unit said they've never seen graffiti wars lead to bloodshed in Charlotte. Still, there's concern in the neighborhood over possible danger. Salman Khan, 14, used to play in the park until he noticed the graffiti.

"It's kind of scary. When I come outside, I might get hurt. I don't go down there no more," he said.

Instead of playing, Khan is helping his father fix up their house so they can move out of the neighborhood.

The city has a special unit that responds to reports of graffiti -- call Charlotte-Mecklenburg's 311 system.