History
The Tiny Rascals were formed in the early 1980s by a group of Filipino and Samoan youths who lived in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles. The gang was initially known as the "El Sereno Tiny Rascals", and they were involved in various criminal activities such as vandalism and petty theft. However, in the late 1980s, the Tiny Rascals began to focus on armed robberies of Asian businesses.
Criminal Activity
The Tiny Rascals targeted primarily small Asian businesses such as convenience stores, liquor stores, and restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley. The gang members would often enter the businesses armed with guns and demand cash and merchandise. They were also known to torture and beat the victims of their robberies.
In 1991, the Tiny Rascals were responsible for a series of armed robberies that resulted in the deaths of three people. In one incident, the gang members robbed a convenience store and shot and killed the owner. In another incident, the gang members robbed a liquor store and shot and killed two employees.
Law Enforcement Crackdown
The violent crimes committed by the Tiny Rascals led to a massive law enforcement crackdown. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a joint task force to investigate the gang. In 1992, the task force arrested 28 Tiny Rascals gang members, and they were charged with various crimes, including murder, robbery, and conspiracy.
Decline
The arrests of the Tiny Rascals gang members in 1992 led to a decline in the gang's activity. Many of the gang members were sentenced to long prison terms, and the gang was effectively disbanded. However, some former Tiny Rascals gang members went on to join other criminal organizations, such as the Asian Boyz and the Sureños.
Legacy
The Tiny Rascals gang was one of the most violent street gangs in Los Angeles history. Their criminal activities caused terror in the San Gabriel Valley, and they were responsible for the deaths of three people. The gang's legacy is one of violence and crime, but it also serves as a reminder of the importance of law enforcement cooperation in combating gang activity.