Pirus
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| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Compton, California, United States |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, robbery, extortion and murder |
| Allies | Bloods[1] |
| Rivals | Crips[1] |
The Pirus are an African-American street gang alliance founded in 1969 and based in Southern California. The Pirus comprise various sub-groups, known as "sets". These distinguish themselves by colors, clothing, operations, and political ideas. Some may be in direct conflict with each other. Originating in Compton, California, the alliance has spread throughout Los Angeles County and other areas of the United States.
History[edit]
In 1969, the Pirus were created by teenagers and young black men based in Compton, California. The term originally refers to Piru Street, a residential street in Compton and neighboring Willowbrook. It has been adapted as a backronym for "Powerful Indestructible Revengeful United" or, alternatively, "Powerful Indestructible Ruthless Untouchables".
In 1969 the Pirus joined the Crip alliance made by smaller gangs, creating together a large "set" of the Crips. At that time, there were various sets throughout the region of Los Angeles, California. However, these sets were small groups of hustlers. In 1969, fifteen-year-old Raymond Washington started the Crips street gang with friends from his neighborhood on the East Side of South Central Los Angeles. The Crips began to attack hustler groups and cliques in order to create a larger organization.[2]
The Pirus soon joined with the Brims gang, a victim of the Crips attacks. Members in jail found each other and created the Bloods. This new group developed from a term they used to address one another. Following this, new inmates entering the LA County Jail were asked by intake/deputies, "Who do you run with, the Crips or the Bloods?"[citation needed] Those who were victimized by the Crips joined the Pirus and Brims, and ran with the Blood identity, which is how the Blood gang was formed. The Bloods started in jail in LA County in 1974, and the Pirus and Brims both formed on the streets in 1969.[citation needed]
Subsets[edit]
A notorious subset of the Pirus, Tree Top Pirus has several territories, stretching from California (mostly Compton, California, where the gang originated) to Maryland (where a popular branch of the gang is based). This gang is notoriously known for its excessive violence and several members have been convicted of violent crimes, such as Michelle “Michelle Hell” Hebron, a violent and notorious criminal and high-ranking member of the Tree Top Pirus. Leader of the female branch of Tree Top Pirus (known as Tree Top Pirettes) in Baltimore, Maryland, she was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2010 for drug trafficking and murder.[3] Another notorious case involving the Tree Top Pirus took place in 2017, when a dangerous member of the Texan branch of the gang, Javan Oxavia Williams, killed two men, Charlie Bennett Jr. and Tonius Wayne Frank, killed 2 dogs (both owned by Tonius Wayne Frank) and seriously injured a woman, that although her identity was not revealed, it was confirmed in the investigations that she was the girlfriend of one of the fatal victims, Charlie Bennett Jr. Both crimes took place in Harris County, Texas and due to the seriousness of the crimes, in December 2021, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole.[4]
A subset, Murdaland Mafia Pirus, was created in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2018, Dontray Johnson was convicted of murder for shooting and killing two fellow members in November 2012 for violating rules of the gang. Johnson had posted on his Facebook profile, "198 n risen" referring to Baltimore's homicide toll of that year.[5]
In media[edit]
Films[edit]
West Side Pirus are shown as prominent characters in the 2020 feature film Bompton Had a Dream. The lead character, Phoolie, is a West Side Piru, and the film was entirely shot in the Piru side of Compton.[6][7]
Music[edit]
Bompton Pirus are mentioned in Kendrick Lamar's song Ronald Reagan Era from his 2011 studio album Section.80,[8] as well as in his song M.A.A.D City from his 2012 studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Bloods Street Gang Intelligence Report Virginia State Police (November 2008)
- ^ Martinez, Juan Francisco Esteva (2008). "Bloods". In Kontos, Louis; Brotherton, David (eds.). Encyclopedia of Gangs. Westport, Konnecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 12 –13. ISBN 978-0-313-33402-3.
- ^ "'Michelle Hell': The Face of Baltimore's Violent Female Gangbangers". thecrimereport.org.
- ^ "'He is an absolute killer': Treetop Piru gang member gets life in prison; killed 2 victims and 2 dogs, DA says". Click2Houston.
- ^ "Baltimore gang member who killed two fellow members for violating rules enters guilty plea". Baltimore Sun.
- ^ "Bompton Had a Dream". IMDb. April 22, 2020.
- ^ "Meet the innovative minds behind the film "Bompton Had A Dream"". Gritty Vibes. April 22, 2020.
- ^ Kendrick Lamar (Ft. RZA) – Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils), retrieved August 14, 2022
- ^ "m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar". SongLyrics.com. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
