Wisconsin: The Crazy Hmong Boys versus The Oriental Thugs

Aaron Matas:

La Crosse police have three suspects in custody after an apparent gang fight in La Crosse, and more arrests could be coming.

The incident happened Thursday night at Hood Park in La Crosse and was eventually called in by employees at the Walgreens on the corner of Mississippi and West Avenue. Police say members from a gang called 'The Crazy Hmong Boys' fought members of a rival gang called 'The Oriental Thugs'. 1 member of the Oriental Thugs was injured in the fight. One of the suspects in the case Nhu Vue made his first appearance in court on Friday. Police have other suspects in custody and say they are not done investigating this case.

Police say the problem was much worse in La Crosse just a couple of years ago and a fight like this was a more common occurrence. Police say gang activity in La Crosse has dramatically decreased in the last few years. However, police do have contact with gangs in the city and say the main things the groups are involved with is drugs and drug trafficking. "We do know there is some drug activity involving gang member etc. in La Crosse. We haven't had a lot of gang activity in regards to fighting and territorial issues that would arise in some of the larger cities it's very sporadic here in the city of La Crosse," says Capt. Mike Brohmer of the La Crosse Police Dept.

We spoke with Logan associate principal, Doug Leclair, he says gangs are clearly an issue in the community but they are not a problem inside of the school. Leclair and police credit that to many things including community presentations and having officers in the schools. "One of the main things we do is we have out G.R.E.A.T. program, Gang Resistance Education and Training, we start that at a very young age," says Brohmer, "In the elementary schools and that continues thru the middle schools."

As far as the gang fight officers say they now have to be on the look out for any type of reactionary activity from either one of the rival gangs.

Gang fight leads to charges