Crips attack bloodmobile

Los Angeles, Calif. – Two members of the Los Angeles-based street gang The Crips remain in custody Wednesday following their alleged attack on a Santa Marta Hospital bloodmobile, one of six modified RVs being used by the East Los Angeles hospital as mobile blood-donation centers.

The mangled body of the bloodmobile was discovered by would-be blood and plasma donors Tuesday evening at the corner of 134th Street and Martin Luther King Blvd. – deep in the heart of well-known Crips-controlled territory – after having suffered a massive loss of motor oil due to numerous bullet and knife wounds. Pronounced "pretty much shot" on the scene by mechanics, the vehicle was immediately towed to an undisclosed body shop where it awaits repairs in a condition described by authorities as stable but not drivable.

According to Los Angeles Chief of Police William J. Bratton, the attack represents yet another episode of violence caused by the long-standing feud between the rival Crips and Bloods gangs.

"Slash wounds have long been a known trademark of Crips attacks, and the bloodmobile was found with both its front tires slit," said LAPD Chief William J. Bratton, explaining some of the evidence linking the two Crips members in custody to the crime. "Anything Blood-affiliated intruding on Crips territory is obviously a target – even a harmless bloodmobile simply commuting between blood drives. The attack is a message from the Crips to all Bloods and bloodmobiles: steer clear of Crips territory."

Chief Bratton expounded on details of the attack and Los Angeles gang violence in general during a press conference Wednesday morning.

"Each gang dons different colors to signal their gang affiliation – blue is worn by Crips and red by Bloods," said Bratton. "True, the bloodmobile is mostly white, but all of the RV's signage was red. If you're going to be driving through Crips country, that's like painting a big target on the side of your car saying: shoot me, I'm with a Blood organization."

According to Officer Neil Avery, a policeman on the scene, the bloodmobile was also found to be engaged in illegal behavior at the time of the attack.

"When we searched the bloodmobile, we found [a] crack in the engine block," said Avery. "Crack, of course, is rampant among Los Angeles gang members. This helped us further identify the vehicle as being Blood-affiliated [sic]."