Los Angeles gangs 'compete to shoot 100' people in 100 days
Police in Los Angeles are on alert amid threats that two gangs are competing to be the first to shoot 100 people during what they have called "100 days of homicides".
Alleged gang members have been fuelling calls for violence on social media by posting pictures of guns and insignia under the label #100daysand100nights.
At the weekend one man was killed following an argument at a gang member's funeral and 12 people, including a four-year-old boy, were injured by gunfire.
A motivational sign in LA
According to unverified posts on social media the violence was sparked by the murder of a member of the Rollin 100s Crips.
One post read: "Word is that 2 gangs made a bet to see who can get to 100 kills first, and the other word is they're going to be shooting it up for 100 days straight. Be careful because they don't care who they shoot."
Police are taking the threats seriously and have sent more officers to the area.
Residents held a peace rally on Monday night and called for calm.
One man told the crowd: “Nobody owns any streets. So it’s not your turf gang members." Another man described having to leave the area to get petrol because it was not safe to stop his car.
Gang violence had fallen in Los Angeles in recent years, but this year there has already been a sharp rise.
In the 77th street division the number of people shot is up 30 per cent.
Bill Scott, LAPD south bureau deputy chief, who is personally reading the recent online threats, said there were "people out there right now with very, very high and hot tempers".
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