7 Gang Members Indicted in Murders

Seven members of a gang allegedly responsible for a series of crimes, including murders and attempted murders in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury, authorities said.

Five of the gang, described as made up of members of Southeast Asian descent, are in custody awaiting arraignment and two are fugitives, said Det. Mel Arnold of the Los Angeles Police Department Valley Bureau.

He said a juvenile is also being held on suspicion of being involved in some of the same crimes.

After a series of murders in the San Fernando Valley area during 1995, the LAPD formed a task force to investigate the crimes, authorities said.

Investigators--from the LAPD, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Long Beach Police Department and FBI violent crime task forces--identified suspects as members of the Asian Boyz gang--one of the largest Southern California gangs with about 300 members locally and others in Northern California, Texas, Massachusetts and Florida.

The members of the gang were also responsible for other crimes, including home invasion robberies, burglaries, extortion and arsons, mainly among the Southeast Asian community, authorities said. Though the crimes were typically committed against rival gang members, Arnold said innocent victims were also hurt.

Investigators serving warrants at 53 locations recovered 2,000 piece of evidence--including 54 guns, Arnold said.