Summary
Sons of Samoa is a Crips-affiliated street gang based in Long Beach, California, United States. Its membership mainly consists of Samoan Americans with other Pacific Islander members.
 Seattle Mariners baseball team logo used as Sons of Samoa symbol | |
| Founding location | Long Beach, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Territory | United States (Alaska, California, Missouri, Utah, Washington)[1] |
| Ethnicity | Predominantly of Samoan descent |
| Criminal activities | Drug trafficking, robbery, burglary, extortion |
| Rivals | P.V.C. (Park Village Crip)[2] |
History edit
The Sons of Samoa gang is a faction of the Crips gang based in west Long Beach, California.[3]
In 1985, the Sons of Samoa gang had about 200 members scattered throughout Long Beach, many of whom were Samoan immigrants or first-generation Samoans.[4]
In the late 1980s, it was the focus of a Long Beach Police Department sweep after gang members had attacked two police officers.[3] Around the same time, they were in a gang war with a gang from Garden Grove.[3]
In 2015, an investigation led to new charges and the arrest of a Sons of Samoa member for a murder in 1996.[5][6]
Three SOS members were arrested on March 16, 2021, for the February 9 fatal shooting of a man during late hours on the street near a church in San Jose, California. The victim was not known to have had any connection with the suspects.[7]
Activities edit
In the 1980s, the Sons of Samoa were heavily involved with the sale and use of cocaine and PCP, as well as robbery, burglary, and extortion.[4] In the 1990s, the Suicidals subset of the Sons of Samoa sold drugs in alleyways.[5][6] A 2011 report from the FBI listed Alaska, California, Missouri, Utah, and Washington as states where the Sons of Samoa operated.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b "2011 National Gang Threat Assessment". Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ "People v. Pule, No. B197633 | Casetext Search + Citator".
- ^ a b c Foster, Chris (November 6, 1990). "The Gang's Not Here Any More: Santiago High Player Gave Up Street Life". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ a b Bailey, Eric (December 1, 1985). "The Gangs of Long Beach : Signs Are Obvious: Graffiti, Poverty, Drugs, Turf Wars, Murders". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ a b Dobruck, Jeremiah; Osier, Valerie (February 10, 2020). "Trial ends with hung jury in 24-year-old murder case". Long Beach Post. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ a b Osier, Valerie (January 30, 2020). "Trial in 1996 murder case begins 24 years after deadly gang shooting". Long Beach Post. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ "3 Suspects Arrested In Gang Slaying Of San Jose Resident Tong Nguyen". KPIX. 30 March 2021.