Police Seek 2 More in Gang Sweep : Crime: Fifteen arrests have been made stemming from an Aug. 16 attack on a homeless pair.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD — Los Angeles police continued to search for two additional suspects Friday, the day after they arrested 15 alleged members and associates of a North Hollywood gang in a sweep of more than a dozen of their homes and hangouts.
The arrests stem from the Aug. 16 attack on a homeless couple and the city sanitation workers who tried to rescue them, police said.
Michael and Susie Hosmun were robbed near the railroad tracks along Chandler Boulevard by a group of people police said they believe were members of the North Hollywood Locos. When city sanitation workers came to their assistance, about 30 members of the gang turned on them, attacking them with knives, bottles, sticks and rocks, police said.
Two of the city workers are recovering after being seriously injured in the incident. One was stabbed in the side of the abdomen and another was struck in the head by a flying brick. The homeless couple suffered minor injuries.
In Thursday’s sweep, police said they had arrested the most violent members of the gang they believe were involved in the melee, but continued to search for two men: Moise Lino, 26, of North Hollywood, who has a warrant for his arrest on charges of attempted murder in connection with the attack, and another man whom police declined to identify.
“There was a lot of people involved†in the attack, said Mark Aragon, a detective with the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums unit. “But they are a relatively small gang and hopefully we have taken the steam out of them.â€
Aragon said the most serious charges involve minors, some of whom are suspects in the stabbing of Jesus Reynoso, a city sanitation worker. In all, eight minors--three of them girls who allegedly began the fight by shouting at the homeless couple--were arrested and remain in custody at San Fernando Valley Juvenile Hall. Their charges range from violation of probation to attempted murder.
On Friday, three of the suspected adult gang members were arraigned in Van Nuys Municipal Court on charges of attempted murder: Pastor Campos, 22, of Lake View Terrace; Freddy Ramirez, 23, of North Hollywood; and Olivardo Estrada, 18, of North Hollywood. Campos was also charged with robbery.
Still awaiting arraignment are Oscar Salcido, 20, of North Hollywood, who was arrested Thursday on suspicion of robbery, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon; Carlos Salazar, 20, of North Hollywood, who was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon; and Juan Villalobos, 18, of North Hollywood, who was arrested on numerous misdemeanor warrants, police said. They are all being held at Van Nuys Jail.
Lakyn Wynn, 23, of Irvine was also arrested in the sweep for giving false information to police, which is a misdemeanor. She is believed to be an associate of the gang, police said.
Police said they also recovered one knife in the dawn sweep conducted by officers with the Los Angeles County Probation Department and LAPD’s Foothill and North Hollywood CRASH units.
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