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Lakeland Police Dub Mall Shooting A Crips, Bloods Battle

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JENNIFER LEIGH, News Channel 8

Published: June 18, 2008

Updated: 06/18/2008 08:31 pm

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  Ariel Scott

TAMPA - Tuesday's shooting at Lakeland Square Mall – that left one man wounded, another arrested and patrons scrambling for cover from .25-caliber bullets – was the result of a gang battle between the Crips and the Bloods, police said.

The trouble broke out yesterday shortly before 3 p.m., according to an affidavit that describes the shooting as an escalation of trash talk and gesturing between members of the two gangs.

Police say they interviewed more than 30 witnesses, who for the most part told similar versions of what they saw.

It all started outside the No Fear store.

A member of the Crips gang, Ariel A. Scott, was walking with another man and two women who have yet to be identified, according to an affidavit that describes the police version of what happened next:

Scott and the Crips were approached by Andre Maurice Warner, 18, of Frostproof – a member of the Bloods – and two other men.

The two historically rival groups exchanged gang-related trash talk. That led to dueling gang gestures, suggesting an ensuing fight.

Warner was hit once in the chest. Scott kept firing, nearly hitting several patrons eating inside the Piccadilly Cafeteria.

Scott then ran out of the mall via the west door. He ran around the north end and was picked up by his two female companions.

Investigators eventually developed a tip that led them to 5475 Wilmington Circle, Apt. 302, where Scott was found in a back room. Police were given consent to search the apartment and found a .25-caliber handgun resembling the one used to shoot Warner.

Scott was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, shooting within a public building and carrying a concealed firearm.

After interviewing one of Scott's companions, police decided not file any other charges, a police spokesman said.

There are 100 documented gang members in the City of Lakeland, said police Detective Dan Jonas. In Polk County, there are about 3,200 documented gang members, sheriff's Sgt. Tommy Dixon said.

In comparison, there are at least 2,550 gang members and 115 gangs in Hillsborough County, sheriff's Sgt. Ken Davis said.

The numbers of Crips and Bloods have increased in the past nine months and the Hillsborough sheriff's gang unit is "keeping up with them," Davis said.

"We're aware they tend to be more violent than other gangs," he said. "They definitely have our attention. We're trying to convince them to be somewhere else. We don't need that kind of old-school gang mentally here."

Reporter Ray Reyes contributed to this report. Editor Howard Altman can be reached at (813) 259-7629 or haltman@tampatrib.com.

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