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E/S Insane Crip Gang The Insane Crips Gang [ICG], also known as the Insane Crips [IC], are a predominately African-American criminal street gang on the East Side of Vespucci Beach. The Insane Crips are located in Central Vespucci Beach, however their presence can be seen on Vitus(21st St.) & Cortes(23rd St.) Street. The Insane Crips are under the 3x card, identifying as Trays in their gang structure. They're known to loiter, mostly at night in a several block radius around 2100 Street. They've gained a reputation from their earlier days for being ruthless and arrogant in their neighborhood. Their primary color are black and grey, known to don Raider's apparel to represent their gang. They have three main cliques, with the Baby Insanes being the most active subset due to gentrification and blood shed the older cliques had endured. Despite the gentrification throughout Vespucci Beach, the Insane Crips were able to remain their dominance throughout their feuds with rival street gangs and criminal activity. Background & History The Insane Crips Gang formed in a alley way on 2200 Street in 1975. During these times groups arounds Vespucci Beach were catching onto politics down from South Central LS. The Insanes put the Crips on a pedestal in Vespucci Beach, already having a notorious reputation between the tight knit group. Coming from section 8 housing and food stamps, the rise of the street gang was due to poverty and discrimination. The Crips as a whole needed something to identify themselves with, as programs like the Boy Scouts weren't achievable at the time. In 1969 two Black Panther Party members were murdered in their sleep in Chicago, the same year the Cripping movement started. As the Cripping movement was still on the rise, they emerged in criminal activities, forming their first clique, the Big Insanes. Their reputation grew quick as the crime spiked in their area, adding to the stats at the time in Vespucci Beach. Their participation in numerous activities consisted of robbery, extortion, burglary, drug trafficking, and murder. They're notoriously known in Vespucci Beach, living up to the name Insane as they applied it in their politics and gang culture. They looked up to representation Vespucci Beach, being the first major Crip gangs originated there. Most members from the Big Insanes, known as ICG are original members from the first generation. The 1980's seen the rise of the crack era, as the Insanes soon followed suit to the newest trend. Crack brought the incentive of providing a different type of lifestyle the Insanes Crips crazed for. This attracted more residents from the neighborhood to join the gang, allowing the Insane Crips Gang's turf to expand. This also included female membership, cliqued "Insane Angels", was formed around the mid 1980's. It's known the females were just as active as their male counterparts, carrying firearms, getting into fights, and even participating in drive by shootings. The Young Foundation Crew(YFC) was soon followed, originating on 1600 street. This clique consisted of gang members mostly from their second generation. Around this time, the Insane Crips were also allied with Rollin 20s Crips, with 20s being hustlers in the area at the time. Their hoods were closed knitted at the time based off family ties and neighboring areas between the two. The Insanes and the Rollins used to participate in neighborhood conventions and family activities, until family became the reason for the two gangs beefing. A fight between families within the two gangs erupted with a Rollin 20s member losing their life, creating a wave of lives lost to follow after. Despite high tensions from both sides, they had a common rival in the Vespucci Longos 13. Longos, becoming one of the most hated gangs in Vespucci Beach. This tension from rivals seen shootouts daily, mainly due to the drug trade that littered Vespucci Beach. The Insane Crips had numerous crack houses spanning from 1600 to 2100 Street, during the height of the crack era. They used alley ways and dead ends in their neighborhood in order to strategically deal due to the war on drugs at the time. The ICG's were able to create and sustain efficient drug trafficking routes as their area of operations was nearby a freeway. This enabled the Insane Crips Gang to venture out to other hoods to move their product. This only increased the bloodshed, as the Insanes increased their feud various Sureno sets nearby, with a string of Blood and Piru sets outside Vespucci Beach at the time. During the mid 1980's, the Rollin 60's Neighborhood Crips and the Eight Tray Gangster Crips became full-fledge enemies. Neighboring Crip gangs needed to pledge allegiance to a side, as the 60's adapted as Deuces(2x) and the Eight Tray Gangster Crips adapted as the Trays(3x). Gangs aligned themselves to either card as the feud spilled out to surrounding neighborhoods. The Insane Crip Gang identified with Trays, aligning them to the ongoing feud as their rivals increased. This seen others pick sides likes the West Coast Crips and Rollin 20s Crips align with Deuce(2x). This rivalry is the first Crip on Crip rivalry, igniting a deadly trend that's ongoing between different Crip sets as they beefed or fell out with each other. Despite them choosing a side, the Insane Crips have their own demographic, politics, and structure, leaving them to focus on their beefs around Vespucci Beach. The late 1980's seen a bitter feud between the Insane Crips Gang and Rollin 20s Crip, as their alliance erupted, creating bloodshed on both sides. Despite both gangs having family ties, seen a deadly gang war between them both as they competed for territory as the drug trade started taking a decline. The ICG's started to focus on burglary and extortion, staking out neighboring areas they felt they can turn a profit. They were known to resourcefully use pagers and phones as it heightened their communication when conducting illegal activities. The 1990's was a rough period for the Insane Crips Gang, as gang inductions and blood shed with rivals seen their numbers stagger. Gang territory started to adjust as the Insane Crips Gang started to detract from 1600 Street. The waging feuds the Insanes were in caused the gang to be more tight knit as their presence remained on 2100 Street. To add to that, the riot in 1992 seen chaos throughout the city, as Vespucci Beach suffered as homes and business were looted. A con to this down the line seen the spread of gentrification throughout Vespucci Beach. As the city took a time to recover, majority of the members didn't see gentrification being a issue it now is today. The Insanes were forced to adapt to more strategic methods of operating like before, as they remained a deadly gang despite their membership outside decreased due to the war on drugs. The operation against the Insane Crips Gang seen a vast majority of different Departments participating as it became one of the biggest drug busts in the 1990's. During the mid 1990's-2000s, seen the Baby Insane Crips formed, being their third clique as it represents their 3rd generation. Despite the problems the ICG's faced, the Baby Insanes took from their older counterparts, as they remained ruthless to rivals around surrounding areas on 2300 Street. The 1990's has the mark one of the lowest periods for the Insanes, though it didn't last as the Insane Crips had to adapt towards their criminal activity. The 2000's approaching seen 30% of housing in Vespucci Beach being affordable to either the middle or upper class. Those housing units in the area under section 8 housing either refurbished their apartments and relocated those to a different area nearby. At the time, the Insane Crips Gang weren't as affected compared to neighboring gangs but the gentrification soon caught up with Vespucci Beach. The new generation of Insanes didn't hesitate to involve themselves in criminal activity, remaining their ruthlessness despite their demographic changing. Gentrification brought more businesses and expensive housing, shifting towards a higher market in class. Vespucci Beach has always had a tourist attraction, but gentrification in the mid 2000's played a part with the tourism we see now in Vespucci Beach. New neighbors started to call Vespucci home. casting gangs to move more accordingly as policing raised in certain areas. This even heightened the gang injunctions in the area, as they spiked for all gangs in Vespucci Beach at the time. This didn't hold the Insanes back, as they participated in robbery, extortion, and drug trafficking throughout this period. The new generation started to adapt, loitering more outside at night due to the streets not being filled with tourists. A positive from all this was the drug sales throughout this period. New neighbors and tourists brought a higher percentage of revenue to the gang, especially around the holidays as most people in Vespucci Beach had money to splurge with. Most gangs in the area took their time to handle their business after the tourists cleared up, normally at night. Their fierce rivalry with the Longo 13 didn't slow down, as the feud continued whenever the two gangs crossed paths. Their tension with the Rollin 20's Crip took the back burner a few times, but emerged shortly after despite the two gangs having family ties. This didn't hold the gang back from business as they still operated around 2100 and 2300 Street. The Baby Insanes soon adopted apparel from the Cleveland Indians, wearing grey, blue and red as their primary colors. Throughout this time, the Baby Insanes had a higher presence outside while some of the older members focused on their music careers for the gang. This helped add some revenue to the street organized gang, providing a avenue towards legal money. As the Insane Crips looked at sufficient ways to survive longevity wise, gentrification was taking it's toll around Vespucci Beach. Most spots the older members grew up around were replaced with electronic stores, restaurants, and gyms. Tourists took tours throughout the day, passing nearby surrounding areas as it added distaste to those who grew up there. This inspired the tight knit gang to hustle more, as they staked out rich pedestrians on a daily. They started committing more petty crimes, doing a lot of smash and grabs in Vespucci's night scene. They instilled fear in law abiding citizens nearby as they weren't used to crime at the level it was happening at. That didn't stop the tourist scene but still kept locals cautious, as they knew not to walk the streets at night. Around this time seen a emergence of a clique turned independent gang, called the Filthy Crips near Vitus Street. After long term disputes, the Filthy Crips combined with the Insanes, becoming the Filthy Insane Crips. They've adopted the Florida Marlins logo, using the "F" to identify as the Filthy Insanes. Overall the street gang are known to wear other colors from blue, as they looked to stand out from their neighbors. They also came to form a subset outside of Vespucci Beach called the 21st Street Young Gun Crips. Modern Day In present day, the Insane Crips mainly consist of members around the their mid teens to their mid-twenties. Despite their small numbers compared to past, they've still established themselves as a dominant presence in their surrounding areas. Waging mostly with the Rollin 20s Crips, Longo 13, and various sureno sets. The war between the Insanes and Rollins seen a spike in 2020. Along with that, the LSPD has been prosecuting members affiliated with the Insane Crips for numerous criminal offenses, with their ages being between 16-22 years old. This shows a different interest in recruitment compared to most street gangs, in search of membership in a older age bracket to join their street gang enterprise. The street gang still operates from the heart of their hood on 21st and Invention Court, stretching to 23rd and Cortes Street. They're known to loiter in the cuts around the upscale stores and restaurants, feared by the new locals towards their crimes towards unaccompanied vehicles throughout the day. As night approaches, tourists, joggers, and walkers empty the streets as the street gang normally loiters in high numbers in surrounding areas. New inhabitants soon realized the sounds outside at night weren't fireworks from Vespucci Beach. Some of the Insane Crips membership scattered out in modern time as gentrification pushed most out of the neighborhood. More then 80% of the neighborhood has changed since the past, kicking most of their members out as they found homes elsewhere throughout Vespucci Beach. 20% percent of the housing stayed the same or got refurbished down the line, allowing those receiving section 8 housing to only pay 30% of their rent. Vespucci Beach Housing Authority and long tenured family tenants allowed the Insane Crips to operate in Vespucci Beach despite the new found wealth around every block. This drove the young generation to more criminal activities as they grew sick of the high rise condos and newly built homes adjacent of their hood. The Insane Crips still identify as Trays(3x), beefing with known opposition, nowadays taking to social media to show their hatred to the other gang. Social Media has played a part in criminal activity and gang politics as a whole, furthering the loss of casualties every gang has experienced since. The Insane Crips gotten more elaborate in criminals activity in the recent years, thanks to the dead ends and alley ways nearby that the Insanes Crips benefitted from. The Insane Crips Gang stands as the largest predominately African-American street gang in Vespucci Beach. Allies & Rivals The E/S Insane Vespucci Crips are a large African American street gang mainly situated on the central side of Vespucci Beach. They identify with the Trays(3x) card, having an alliance with the Blacc Bandit Crips, Filthy Crip Gang, and most Hoover Criminal Gangs. The Insanes and the Hoovers shared an alliance for a long time, forming the Hoosane Alliance. Same goes with the N/S Naughty Nasty Gang Crips, as their members can be heard saying "2365", a representation of an alliance between the two gangs. They're cordial with the Asian Boyz Crips and Tiny Rascals Gang, despite the Insanes and Rascals younger generation feuding to a lower extent with head up fades. Knowing all that, bloodshed has never spilled the streets from the two street gangs. The Insane Crips used to share a close relationship and ally with the Rollin 20s Vespucci Crips, neighboring each other as both sides are bonded through family ties. However, during the late 1980's seen the alliance break apart, as egos and pride brought new enemies on both sides, leading to bloodshed. The Insane Crips are also known to beef or feud with the West Coast Crips, Mac Mafia Crips, Boulevard Mafia Crips, and all Neighborhood Crip gangs. They're also known to have a intense rivalry towards Rollin 0's Crips and Varrio Longo 13; the biggest Latino street gang in Vespucci Beach. Out of Character [This collective of individuals are striving to portray the E/S Insane Crips Gang, largest street gang in Long Beach. It's important to pay attention to detail, environment, and character development when you embark on roleplaying with us. I highly suggest doing some research before reaching out and expressing to join, it's important to conduct ourselves in a realistic portrayal and those who took that time to do so will be praised. You can reach out to my discord for any questions, comments or concerns on how to introduce yourself, complaints, or seek invite to the faction's discord. Those who show a high ambition in learning won't be push to the side. If you express a interest in adapting and roleplaying accordingly but are missing the knowledge, we'll help you out get adjusted. Most members seeking to join should be a minimum of 15 years old, though exceptions would be arranged based off certain circumstance. You can also reach out to the faction's discord link if you would like to join. This thread is subject to be updated.]

Longos 13 - Magellan Avenue The Varrio Longos 13 is a predominantly Mexican-American street gang that originated in the 1960s, as a single gang. By the 1970s, members broke off forming two groups known as the west and east side Longos, but due to the internal fighting and violence, the northside Longo we're the last part of the gang to emerge. The name would originate from the word "Long" they adapted the X13 (sureno) sometime in the 1970s. Like all other Sureno gangs, they pay their respect to the Mexican Mafia (La Eme). Longos 13 are considered to be the biggest gang in Vespucci, which allows them to take on multiple gangs at once. Longo's took control of different areas throughout Vespucci through their subsets, as a united front they're currently raising tensions with ABZ and anyone that's come to the area trying to claim their turf, so far the group have been seen in a couple brawls situated around Magellan Avenue, alongside other crimes such as drug trafficking, robbery, murder, burglary, and, some other crimes which have so far been kept under the radar. It was previously noted that due to one of the big homies being jumped by numerous members of ABZ, graffiti has appeared in their territory, alongside some videos of Longos 13 provoking younger members of the rival gang, tensions have slowly been rising through brutal brawls and comments over FaceBrowser, with Longos attempting to take a strong hand against their enemies. Longos 13 - The Various Cliques Northside Longo The Northside Longos is the smallest of the 3 sets, but they are the largest in Northside Vespucci, They claim areas such as Del Perro Boulevard and Atesia Boulevard, they are surrounded by Segundo to the North and Carson to the West. This puts the gang in direct tension of the Dominguez Varrio 13, The Northside Longos have several active cliques; Pee Wees, Youngsters, Baby Gangsters, Sun Rise Boys, Sun Set Boys and the Baby Gangsters. Eastside Longo Currently, Eastside Longo is the most established set amongst the three, managing to obtain the most members throughout their time, they have thrived on criminal activity, due to their OG being attacked by the ABZ, tensions have started to rise between the pair, currently the other cliques have supported them as ABZ have always been a natural enemy to the Longos, they've been very aggressive with their approach toward others and have participated in many crimes throughout the Vespucci area, causing the crime rate to rise sufficiently, they are known to share their territory with the Rollin 20's. Westside Longo The Westside Longo's hood stretches from Del Perro Coast Highway, they share the area with the Rollin 80's, Westside Longo have several known and active cliques Cyclones, Termites, Stoners, Summit Canal Locos, Tiny Locos, Tiny Locas and the Wynas both of them being female cliques, they're usually seen posted along the block in hefty numbers. Longos 13 - Dominating Vespucci The gang's harsh treatment of Asian immigrants led to the rise of the Tiny Rascal Gang and Asian Boyz two of their most bitter rivals, among other Asian gangs, and the Tiny Rascals and Longos became engaged in a deadly feud in the early 1990s after a carload of Tiny Rascals shot and killed a 16-year-old Longo in 1989. The Longos responded by killing several Tiny Rascals, turning the streets into a killing zone. The gang would develop rivalries with the Fresno Bulldogs, the 18th Street Gang, the Nortenos, the Tiny Rascals, the Asian Boyz, Menace of Destruction, the Sons of Samoa, and the Big Circle Gang. The Longos have since been known to beef with the Tiny Rascal Gang, Asian Boys, Insane Crip, Rollin 20 Crips, Rollin 80 West Coast Crips, Satanas, Vietnamese Boyz Gang, Sons of Samoa, Vespucci EFCC, Crazy Brother Clan, Suicidal Town, Westside Islanders, Barrio Pobre, Toker Town Flats, Pinoy Real, Dominguez Varrio 13, 18th Street Gang, Bricc Boy Crips, Boulevard Mafia Crips. OOC Information Longos 13 has previously had a negative reputation for being a DM faction, however we wish to portray the faction in more of a realistic manner following the guidelines of IFM, currently we are participating in a Sureño based faction meaning that we will be aligning ourselves to the Mexican Mafia (La Eme), for anyone interested in joining or learning more about our faction, we currently have a discord open to the public that's free for anyone to join. https://discord.gg/PWbHDEQXN9

"Caught in the Cross-Fire : Residents Struggle to Protect Their Families Amid a Decade-Old Asian-Latino Gang War" BY ADAM MCLEOD JUNE 30, 1994 12 AM PT TIMES STAFF WRITER The two young gangsters have never met, and yet given the chance they would probably try to kill each other. One belongs to Vespucci’s biggest Mexican gang. He’s a spindly 15-year-old who talks about defending his race with a gun tucked into his trousers. The other is a 17-year-old Cambodian who dropped out of school after seventh grade and joined a gang he hoped would protect him against “the Mexicans.” Although they still have peach fuzz on their faces, the two are seasoned soldiers in a racially charged gang war pitting Latinos against Asians on the streets of central and northern Vespucci, a conflict that has claimed at least 36 lives in the five years that police have been documenting the killings. The death toll includes three innocent Latino victims--ages 15 to 19--from Los Santos who were gunned down May 15 in front of stunned witnesses, just moments after leaving a birthday party near the Downtown region where they had gone to promote their dance club. Two teen-age Laotian gang members have been charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the incident, which left three other Latinos seriously wounded. The brazen attack drew a chorus of condemnation across Vespucci. But to those who live in the city’s meanest neighborhoods, it served only as a reminder of the unending gang violence over the years that has maimed countless victims, terrified residents and deepened resentment that may never heal. The shootings have left parents searching for ways to protect their families. Some have pulled their children out of school because of brawls and stabbings on campus. Others have taken even more extreme action, sending their sons back to Mexico in hopes of keeping them alive. “Families don’t know where to turn,” said Olivia Ochoa, an activist whose son was killed earlier this year in a shooting that police believe was carried out by Asian gang members. “The community is fear-ridden. Somehow, we have to pull things together.” The two sides in this war readily blame each other for starting the trouble. Both camps refuse to back down, instead speaking of the need to avenge their fallen brothers. Latino gang members say they fight to protect their barrios--their pride--against Asians intruding on their streets. “You’re backing up your race, so people won’t think Mexicans are punks,” said the defiant 15-year-old Latino, who proudly displays a twisted bullet wound on his stomach and a dime-sized nick on his hand like badges of honor. Although the stomach wound nearly left him dead a year ago, the eighth-grader remains defiant. “The Chinos are gonna lose,” he said, referring to Asian gangs. “They’re not as powerful as the Mexicans.” Latino gangs, who are primarily Mexican American, have deep roots in Vespucci. In some families, successive generations have joined up since the late 1960s, when Latinos started banding together in part to protect themselves against attacks by more dominant Latino gangs from other cities. Today, there are more than 5,000 Latino gang members in Vespucci, almost half the city’s gang population, according to a recent city report. By contrast, Asian gangs cropped up in Vespucci only a decade ago. Their emergence coincided with the influx of Southeast Asian refugees. The Asian gangsters--who are mostly Cambodian but also include Laotians, Vietnamese, Chinese and other groups--say they formed gangs as protection against attacks by their more numerous Latino rivals. Now, there are about 2,000 Asian gang members, according to the report. “I’d walk on the street and they’d jump me,” said the 17-year-old Cambodian, who joined his gang about two years ago and has a quarter-sized bullet wound on one of his calves. Now “I call my homies. If I can’t do nothin’ about it, my homies can.” Social workers say the young Asians mimicked their rivals’ lingo, graffiti, baggy clothing, tattoos and buzz haircuts--irritating the existing Latino gangs who viewed the newcomers as wanna-bes. By organizing, the Asian youths gained power not only to challenge their rivals but also to shake down residents and businesses in their own community, activists and police say. “Being in a gang made them feel important, respected,” said Chhay Sotha, a Cambodian social worker. “And they do get the respect, because people are intimidated by them.” In one sense, the gang war in Vespucci is no different from violence tearing at other cities where gangs regularly trade insults and gunfire to settle vendettas. But gang counselors and police see a disturbing trend in Vespucci: A conflict that began as a struggle over turf has deteriorated into an intractable race war. Now, killings are increasingly motivated by hate, with Asians and Latinos shooting one another on sight. “You’re walking down the street and see your enemy. You either beat him up or shoot him,” said a 14-year-old Cambodian gang member who boasts of many fights with Latino rivals. “It’s a game you play, but a reality game.” One Latino gang member, a 21-year-old who said he now refrains from violence, offered an equally nonchalant attitude shared by many of his fellow gangsters. “If I would be gangbanging, I would be blasting a lot of the Chinos,” he said. “If you live in the gang life, you gotta die in it.” Gang counselors say the battling has turned into an old grudge. “At this point, I think some of the younger kids don’t know why they are fighting,” said James M. McCoy, coordinator of the city’s gang prevention program. At the crux of the problem is a deep cultural divide. While rivals may live next door to one another in crowded neighborhoods, they are separated by an ocean of differences--from language and religion to food and music. Latino gang members refer derogatorily to all Asian gang members, regardless of origin, as “the Chinos.” For their part, Asian gangsters know all Latinos as “the Mexicans.” Tension between the two groups dates back to the early 1980s, shortly after thousands of Cambodians fleeing their war-torn country began arriving in Vespucci. Many refugees came here to join family, after spending their lives in rural areas, living in bamboo huts without running water or electricity. Here, they moved into poor, urban neighborhoods that had been home to Latinos and African Americans for years. Slowly the newcomers got a foothold--learning English, pooling their money, founding religious centers, and eventually opening businesses. Today, various estimates place their Vespucci population at 45,000 to 60,000. Their presence is well pronounced--with restaurants, grocery stores, jewelers and other shops--and some Cambodian residents envision the thoroughfare as a sort of Little Phnom Penh. Latino and Asian activists say the city should have prepared better for the racial tensions that exist today--pushing for cultural awareness classes in schools, establishing a dialogue between groups and seeking more racial diversity on the police force. Of the police department’s 762 sworn officers on May 1, there were 561 whites, 113 Latinos, 52 African Americans, 31 Asians and five Native Americans. Police Chief Arthur C. Heath said the police department is making efforts to recruit more minority officers, but added that police alone cannot be expected to solve a complex problem that involves schools, families and other factors. The activists and even some frustrated city officials, meanwhile, complain that City Hall has ignored the gang problem over the years because the violence hasn’t yet spread into affluent parts of the city. “I think the city has been in denial that a gang problem even exists,” said Councilwoman Tabitha Keller, a former county probation officer whose central Vespucci district includes many gang-infested neighborhoods. “For years, this city didn’t even want to recognize it, but I had (gang members) in Vespucci on my caseload.” Critics say the city examines its gang problems only when high-profile incidents push the issue to the surface. After the shootings of the three Latinos last month, police blanketed known gang areas temporarily to catch the suspects and to quell further violence. City Manager Harry C. Vaughn ordered the city Human Relations Commission to hold hearings on the Asian-Latino rift and other gang problems. But community activists say a police crackdown will not bring peace to the streets in the long run. And they criticize the commission for failing to invite enough young people to the hearings, which were held outside the central city communities most affected by the gang war. The commissioners point to the good they expect out of their recent meetings. At their urging, the City Council approved emergency recreation programs for the summer that will include city vehicles that bring sports equipment, board games and other activities to parks. The commission plans to hold further meetings on gang problems and will issue a final report to the council this fall. Deputy City Manager Joseph Rees, who coordinates the city’s response to gangs, conceded that officials were slow to respond to the gang violence initially, partly because leaders hadn’t expected tensions to flare between Latinos and Asians. But Rees said the recent commission meetings are only the latest effort to address the gang troubles. In recent years, the city also has hired more police and formed athletic leagues for inner-city youths, among other things, he said. Rees heads a new task force that is examining the effectiveness of various anti-gang programs run by the city and other organizations. Next month, the task force, which includes police, youths, school district officials, court officials and others, will list anti-gang programs that deserve the most funding, he said. Some police and gang counselors question whether the city’s efforts will have any impact on gang members who feel shunted by adult authorities and care little about official edicts. “All the meetings in the world aren’t going to make a bit of difference if you’ve got a 15-year-old running around at 10 o’clock at night with an Uzi in his hand and killing on his mind,” said Vespucci police Sgt. Joe Gallagher, who oversees a joint gang task force with the FBI. City leaders, police and community activists appear to agree on one point: Any solution will have to include grass-roots organizations that work closely with the gangs. Some counselors on the street say that real change will ultimately rest with the families and religious institutions that play a dominant role in the Latino and Asian communities. Yet even a dedicated corps of counselors and pastors will have a difficult time putting an end to the gang war because of the racial animosity that divides the sides and fuels the violence, activists warn. Gang members themselves scoff at notions of peace, and are reluctant to consider a truce like the one that has helped bring a tentative peace among some African American gangs in Watts. The young gang members in Long Beach are prepared to continue the battle, they say, even if it means their own lives. “We’re not gonna let ‘em shoot us,” said the 17-year-old Cambodian gang member with the bullet wound on his calf. “If they do, we’ll shoot them back.” E/S Tiny Raskal Gang The E/S Tiny Raskal Gang, also known as TRG, Tiny Raskal Gang or Rascals for short, is a primarily, however not exclusively an Asian American (mainly ethnically Cambodian) gang based in Vespucci, San Andreas. The gang was founded by Cambodian refugees sometime in the early 1980s, part of their cause to protect themselves from the larger, more numerous gangs in their neighborhoods. Initially, a mere cause which connected numerous youth crews and gangs across Vespucci, and shortly after nearby cities. Its members identify gray as their gang's color of distinction, a custom and practice that has waned somewhat in accordance to the police crackdowns specifically targeting gang members. The gang has no official allies while their main rivals are historically the East Side Longos and the South East Asia (SEA) alliance which includes the Asian Boyz Crips, Exotic Family City Crips, Suicidal Town Crips and the Sons of Samoa Gangster Crips, however they also bump heads with the Insane Crip Gang and the Rollin 20s Crip Gang occasionally. The decades of ongoing feud with local Sureños gangs as well as rival Asian gangs such as the Asian Boyz Crips has exhausted the E/S Tiny Raskal Gang over the years resulting in a decline of membership, presence and control in the city of Vespucci, this was also a result of a significant number of TRG members being deported back to their home countries for being negligent of the law and overall reckless citizens. Although the Tiny Raskal Gang consists of primarily South East Asians, that hasn't stopped members of more prominent racial groups within Vespucci in joining the ranks of the Tiny Raskal Gang as the gang accepts members of all races, a handful of members of African-American and Hispanic descent have grown to be prominent and outstanding members within the ranks of the Tiny Raskal Gang.