Study Sought on Skinhead Attacks in Antelope Valley

Reacting to a report of increased attacks by skinhead groups in the Antelope Valley, Supervisor Mike Antonovich asked Tuesday that the County Commission on Human Relations study the situation.

A spokesman for Antonovich’s office said the supervisor’s action was prompted by a recent article in The Times on the growing number of racial attacks targeting African Americans in the high desert area since the beginning of the year.

Antonovich, whose 5th District includes the Antelope Valley, will request that the Board of Supervisors direct the commission to report back within 60 days with suggestions concerning the skinhead gang problem. The supervisor will introduce a motion on the matter at Tuesday’s board meeting.

“Steps must be taken quickly to stop this violent behavior,” said Antonovich, in a statement issued from his Los Angeles office. “We must rid the community of hate-motivated groups who terrorize their neighbors.”

Last month three men identified as skinheads, who authorities believe are members of a gang called the Peckerwoods, were arrested and charged with firing six shots into a parked car with four blacks in it, including a year-old baby.

Though two teen-agers in the car were grazed and the baby was cut by shattered glass, no one was seriously injured in the shooting.

After the shootings, the Antelope Valley Branch of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People cited four other incidents that have occurred since January, including an attack in which four middle school children walking home from school were jumped and taunted by a group of 10 skinheads.

Investigations into the shooting and other incidents are now being conducted by the hate crime division of the district attorney’s office, the Lancaster office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Station. The FBI, in particular, is looking into possible civil rights violations involving the gangs.

Local gang authorities estimate that the Peckerwoods and one other skinhead group, the Nazi Low Riders, have a combined membership of 80 to 100 followers.

An Antonovich spokesman said the supervisor also plans to encourage the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to implement gang prevention programs in the hope that this will stunt future membership in such hate groups.

Antonovich’s proposal came a day before the Commission on Human Relations is scheduled to release its annual hate crime report. That report will disclose hate crime tallies for all cities in the county for last year.