 Piru graffiti | |
| Founded | 1969; 56 years ago (1969) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Sylvester Puddin Scott, Vincent Benson Owens |
| Founding location | Compton, California, United States |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Ethnicity | PrimarilyBlack American |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, robbery, extortion and murder |
| Allies | Bloods[1] |
| Rivals | Crips[1] |
ThePirus (/ˈpaɪruː/ ⓘ) are a subset of the largerBloods gang alliance, anorganized crime group in the United States.[2]
In the early 1960s, the Los Angeles, California area was filled with street gangs fighting for power. At that time, the Crips, founded by Raymond Washington and Stanley “Tookie” Williams, were rapidly growing in influence. They expanded quickly, pressuring smaller gangs to either join them or submit.
A group of young African Americans from Compton and nearby areas felt threatened by the Crips’ dominance. They refused to submit, and eventually formed their own gang as the main rival to the Crips. From there, the Pirus were born, who later became part of the larger group known as the Bloods.
The name Piru itself came from Piru Street in Compton, where the group was first established. Young men from Piru Street decided to fight back against the Crips, then allied with other smaller gangs who also refused to be oppressed. They agreed to wear red as their symbol, in opposition to the blue worn by the Crips.
Over time, the violence between the Crips and the Bloods (with the Pirus included) became increasingly brutal. Gang wars erupted in the streets of Los Angeles, escalating from simple fights to shootings, murders, and territorial battles.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the conflict grew even larger with the rise of drug trafficking, especially crack cocaine. Many young members were recruited straight from the streets, often teenagers growing up in harsh environments with few options.
The Pirus and Bloods had their own codes, body language, and symbols. They also became well known for their hand signs and graffiti used to mark territory. While they were strongly associated with criminal activity, for some members, joining the gang was also seen as a form of “family” or protection from the tough streets of Los Angeles.
To this day, even though the government and law enforcement have carried out many operations to stop gang violence, the name Bloods/Pirus remains deeply embedded as one of the most infamous and influential street gangs in America, especially in the history of gang wars in Los Angeles.
In 1969, a gang called the Piru Street Boys was founded by Sylvester Scott and Vincent Owens.[3] According to some sources, the Piru Street Boys were initially associated with theCrips,[4] but later had a falling-out. However, other sources dispute any alliance, claiming that the Piru Street Boys were victimised by the Crips.[5] Nevertheless, by the early 1970s, the Piru Street Boys formed an alliance with other smaller street gangs such as the Brims, Bishops and Denver Lanes, which also opposed the Crips.[6] This alliance became known as the Bloods, as the members of this alliance called each other "blood".[6]
Eventually, more Piru sets would form. There are 15 known Piru sets within theGreater Los Angeles area.[7] Piru sets have fought against each other. For example, theMob Piru andFruit Town Piru developed a rivalry by the late 1990s, which resulted in the murders of several Mob Pirus associated withDeath Row Records.[8]
The Piru Street Boys are considered the forerunners to the Bloods,[9] which is why the terms "Piru" and "Blood" are often used interchangeably. However, this interchangeable use of the terms is inaccurate,[10] as many non-Piru gangs such as the Denver Lanes and Brims were also instrumental in the formation of the Bloods.[11]
Furthermore, the Pirus are an alliance of street gangs within the larger Bloods alliance,[2] meaning that not all Bloods sets will identify as "Pirus".
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The Pirus is an umbrella street gang alliance (under the larger alliance, Bloods)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Their origins lay in the Piru Street Boys, who once wore the blue bandana of the Crips gang and were known, for a short time, as the Piru Street Crips
Other gangs began to form to defend themselves against the Crips. Two of these gangs were the GnG Mob, Brims and the Pirus.
The local sets of anti-Crips included the Piru Street Boys, the LA Brims, the Denver Lanes, the Inglewood Family, the Swans, and the Pueblo Bishops
Some people incorrectly interchange the terms Piru and Blood, believing that the two terms mean the same thing.
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