Two Crips Held in Shooting of Five Bloods in Pacoima

Two gang members from South-Central Los Angeles were arrested Saturday on suspicion of attempted murder in a daylight shooting at a Pacoima housing project that injured five members of another gang, police said.

The men were arrested at a Sun Valley residential motel that was being watched by officers acting on information provided by witnesses of the Thursday shooting, said Detective Cliff Ruff of the police Foothill Division. They arrived at the motel in a car that matched a description of the vehicle used in the shooting, Ruff said.

Arrested were Darnell Young, 20, of South-Central Los Angeles, and Bruce Lee, 21, who Ruff said had recently moved to Sun Valley. They were being held without bail pending arraignment Wednesday.

“We’re satisfied that these are the only two involved” in the shooting, Ruff said.

A search of Lee’s apartment turned up two handguns that police believe were used in the shooting. Although no drugs were found in the apartment, Ruff said police believe the violence was prompted by a turf battle over drug sales.

Those injured Thursday near the Pacoima playground were described by police as members of the Pacoima Piru Bloods. Young and Lee were described as members of the Crips.

One victim was in critical condition Saturday, two others were in stable condition and the other two were treated for leg wounds and released.

While fights between Crips and Bloods have become commonplace in South-Central Los Angeles, Ruff said, they are rare in the San Fernando Valley.