A violent prison gang known as The Black Guerilla Family has issued what the NYPD are calling “credible threats” against two precincts in the city, WPIX (New York) is reporting .
Late Tuesday night, the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), a union representing about 5,000 sergeants within the NYPD, according to Huffington Post , sent a tweet indicating that a confidential informant had warned that the gang had planned to “storm” two precincts and “shoot it out” with cops inside.
Important info re credible attack from a CI: Black Guerilla Family to storm the 079/081 Pct Station Houses & shoot it out with MOS.
— SBA (@SBANYPD) December 24, 2014
The SBA has warned all officers to carry their weapons at all times, whether they’re on-duty or off-duty, and to work in pairs. At least one precinct, the 81st, has added extra security. The Black Guerilla Family, according to the University of Maryland, is a prison gang based in California, but with members in prisons throughout the U.S.
BGF members are highly influential within the prison system and are known to recruit correctional facility staff to aid their illegal activities. In addition, BGF is actively involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and violent crimes within the prison system. Cocaine and marijuana sales account for the majority of the gang’s income.
Although primarily a prison gang, the BGF has “a growing street presence.” Ismaayil Brinsley, who shot and killed NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Raphael Ramos execution-style in broad daylight, was known to have ties to the BGF, according to this Inquisitr report. Brinsley had posted on social media, prior to the murders of Liu and Ramos, that he intended to “put wings on pigs” to avenge the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of police. Since the murders of the two NYPD officers, tensions have escalated between the NYPD and those calling for reform within the department, such as mayor Bill de Blasio and civil rights activist Al Sharpton.
The blood of 2 executed police officers is on the hands of Mayor de Blasio. May God bless their families and may they rest in peace.
— SBA (@SBANYPD) December 21, 2014
Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a statement after the gang’s threats were made public.
“Cowardly threats of violence against the brave men and women of our police force will not be tolerated. New York City stands with our police officers in this time of tragedy, as we do every day, and our city will not be intimidated by those spouting hateful, violent messages. We will protect the men and women who protect us.”
As of this post, the gang does not appear to have followed through on their reported threats to storm NYPD precincts.
[Image courtesy of: WNYW]