Monday, November 5, 2007

Pregnant Woman Killed in Mass L.A. Street Fight

The Guardian reports:

A planned street fight involving 30 women in Los Angles ended in tragedy with the death of a woman who was eight months pregnant, police announced today.
She was killed in front of dozens of spectators, after another woman involved in the brawl rammed her car into her. The driver has been charged with murder.

Two other women were injured in the incident, which happened yesterday.

The driver of the car, Unique Bishop, 21, fled the scene, but she later turned herself in, police said.

"It was totally an intentional act to kill the woman. It was the driver's way of settling the dispute. It was a horrific act," said LAPD Deputy Chief Charlie Beck.
Police said the cause of the dispute is unclear, but it was part of a planned confrontation between two groups of women in their early 20s.

Witnesses told police they saw women shouting at each other and fighting in the car park of a discount store. The fight then moved on to the street and into a petrol station.

Dozens of people gathered at the petrol station and watched as Ms Bishop got into her car and drove it into the group. One of the victims was pinned against another car, police said.

It is unclear whether the dead woman's unborn baby survived. Another victim was in critical condition and expected to lose her leg, authorities said. None of the victims' identities were released.

"We have seen women around gangs before, but we haven't seen anything like this event before," said a police commander, Pat Gannon.

Widget