Rival gangs with national affiliations have teamed up in an effort to “take out” law enforcement officers, according to an alert issued Monday by the Baltimore Police Department.
The department said it has received credible information that gangs including the Bloods, the Crips and the Black Guerrilla Family have “entered into a partnership to ’take out’ law enforcement officers.”
The threat comes the same day as the funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died from spinal injuries sustained after he was taken into custody by Baltimore police this month.
Police did not say whether the threat is believed to be related to the Gray case, which remains under investigation.
Unrest took hold of Baltimore streets over the weekend as protesters demonstrated to speak out against police brutality and demand answers about how Gray was injured during his encounter with police.
The demonstrations turned violent when a small group broke off from the more than 1,200 protesters who gathered Saturday outside City Hall and smashed some storefront windows and damaged police cars.
Police said 34 people were arrested and six police officers sustained minor injuries.
Baltimore police did not indicate in their alert Monday whether the threat against officers is localized to the Baltimore area or is thought to be a national threat.
“This is a credible threat,” the alert stated. “Law enforcement agencies should take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of their officers.”
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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