LA Gang Wars: Why Boys Bang

LA GANG WARS: WHY BOYS BANG

For young gang members in south central Los Angeles, the “hood” is a brutal war zone, where streets and reputations are vehemently defended, often to the death.

The Hoggard camera team goes into this violent world for seven months — a period during which more than 60 L.A. residents will be killed or wounded in gang shootings.

Our goal is to learn why boys bang and listen to the stories of those entangled in this chilling cycle of bloodshed. Along the way, we head to an amazing school & meet a heroic priest named Father Stan Bosch working to engage boy bangers in therapy so they’ll discuss the anger & violence in their lives before pulling the trigger.

In the midst of production, a vicious gang war breaks out that impacts Father Stan and the kids in ways no one expected…

PROJECT SLIDESHOW

Deronte works in class at the SEA School.

Father Stan Bosch has been working with gang-involved youth in Compton for 30 years now.

Poo's gang shows off their arsenal.

The shooting death of Brandon Bullard unexpectedly triggered the gang war during filming.

Brandon Bullard's young daughter kisses her father goodbye for the last time.

Gang leader Looney unexpectedly turns a Tech-9 on Ryan.

At 16, Everardo has already been wounded by gang violence and, according to him, wounded others. One of his greatest hopes is to get his little brother out of gang life.

Father Stan works hard to get gang-involved kids to talk about the violence in their lives and help them learn to dream in a place where so many kids find it impossible to do so.

Deronte escapes life on the street through music. He's hoping to go to college in the fall.

Poo is looked up to as a father figure by his little homies. And like many in Compton, his journey into gang life began when his big brother was killed in a gang drive-by.

Too blown away to know how to react.

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