Mob Piru Gang

Full Name: Mob Piru Gang (MPG)
Also Known As: East Side Mob (ES Mob), Insane Mob Gang (IMG), or simply Mob Piru
Affiliations: Compton Piru
Founded: Believed to have emerged during the late 1970s
Location: Northeast Compton and southern Lynwood, California
Territory: Former Compton Fashion Center / Compton Swap Meet area
Colors: Red, Burgundy, Maroon
Subsets: West Covina Mob Piru (WCMP)
Alliances: Elm Street Piru, Hollywood Piru
Rivals: Fruit Town Piru, Lueders Park Piru, South Side Compton Crips
Known For: Historical connection to Death Row Records
Notable Figures: Marion “Suge” Knight, Aaron “Heron” Palmer, Alton “Buntry” McDonald, Mob James
Current Status: Active

The Mob Piru Gang (MPG), also known as East Side Mob Piru, Insane Mob Gang (IMG), or simply Mob Piru, is a predominantly African-American Piru street gang based in East Compton and Lynwood, California. The gang is among the most widely known Piru sets in the city due to its association with Death Row Records and music executive Marion “Suge” Knight.

The acronym “M.O.B.” was widely popularized in the 1990s by hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur, who even had the letters tattooed on the back of his right arm. While he publicly defined the phrase as “Money Over Bitches,” the tattoo carried a dual meaning on the streets, cementing his ties to the Mob Piru gang.

Early Orgins

The Mob Piru traces its roots to the East Side of Compton during the late 1970s. Their history is intertwined with the neighboring Lueders Park Piru. Stockton Street was where many of the early members of Mob Piru congregated during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Because the area was originally part of Lueders Park Piru territory, the clique was initially known as the Lueders Park Mob before eventually developing into the independent Mob Piru gang.

Territory

The Mob Piru’s primary territory is centered along the Rosecrans Avenue corridor between Bullis Road and Atlantic Avenue. Their neighborhood stretches east of Long Beach Boulevard and south of the 105 Freeway, extending into portions of southern Lynwood.

The gang historically maintained a strong presence around the apartment complexes near Rosecrans Avenue and Bullis Road, including areas surrounding the former Compton Fashion Center (Compton Swap Meet), which is now home to a Walmart shopping center. Mob Piru is often associated with the 1700, 1800, and 2000 blocks within their neighborhood.

Another notable landmark is Aikin’s Market on Harris Avenue, which has appeared in multiple criminal investigations involving Mob Piru members. In addition to its traditional Compton and Lynwood strongholds, Mob Piru influence later spread into other portions of Los Angeles County.

Expansion Beyond Compton

As Mob Piru’s influence grew during the 1980s and 1990s, subsets carrying the Mob Piru name began appearing outside of Compton. The most prominent of these was the West Covina Mob Piru (WCMP), located in the eastern San Gabriel Valley. While independently, West Covina Mob Piru maintains strong ties to the original Mob Piru neighborhood in Compton.

The Origins of Mob 662

The Death Row Records Era

The gang’s notoriety increased dramatically during the 1990s through its relationship with Death Row Records. Founded by Compton native Marion “Suge” Knight, Death Row employed numerous Mob Piru members and associates as security personnel, bodyguards, and company affiliates.

As the label grew into one of the most successful and controversial record companies in the country, Mob Piru’s name became known far beyond the streets of Compton. The relationship between Death Row Records and Mob Piru brought unprecedented attention from law enforcement agencies, journalists, and federal investigators.

Local gang rivalries became intertwined with conflicts occurring within the music industry, while investigators increasingly examined connections between gang members, entertainment figures, and criminal activity.

Post-Death Row Era

Following the decline of Death Row Records in the late 1990s and early 2000s, many of the relationships and alliances that had existed during the label’s rise began to deteriorate. Several long-standing alliances fractured, leading to violent disputes between Mob Piru and other Piru gangs on the East Side of Compton. Law enforcement pressure also intensified during this period through gang injunctions, targeted prosecutions, and multi-agency investigations.

Documented Incidents

Aikin’s Market Shooting (1996)

On December 14, 1996, gunmen opened fire outside Aikin’s Market at Harris Avenue and Olanda Street, a location frequently associated with Mob Piru members. Approximately fifty rounds were fired into a crowd standing outside the market. Lonnie Roberson was killed, and another victim was wounded. Quincey Lee Mosley, a member of the rival Palm and Oak gang, was later convicted for his role in the attack. The shooting highlighted the ongoing violence surrounding known Mob Piru gathering locations during the 1990s.

The Murder of Aaron “Heron” Palmer (1997)

In June 1997, Mob Piru member Aaron “Heron” Palmer was killed following a confrontation involving members of Fruit Town Piru. Palmer’s death became one of the most significant events in Mob Piru history and helped fuel a violent feud between the two gangs. The conflict resulted in years of retaliatory violence and multiple homicides involving members from both groups. Investigators have frequently identified Palmer’s death as a major turning point in the Mob Piru–Fruit Town Piru war.

The Murder of Alton “Buntry” McDonald (2002)

On April 3, 2002, Alton “Buntry” McDonald, a prominent Mob Piru member and Death Row Records associate, was fatally shot while pumping gas at a service station in Compton. Investigators believed the killing was connected to the ongoing conflict between Mob Piru and Fruit Town Piru. McDonald’s death became one of the most widely discussed incidents involving former Death Row affiliates and highlighted the growing divisions within the Piru alliance following the decline of Death Row Records.

Operation Killen Court (2007)

On August 4, 2007, Mob Piru members carried out a drive-by shooting outside Ace Liquor Store on Long Beach Boulevard. The attack killed Kyutza Herrera, an uninvolved bystander, and injured several others. The investigation that followed became known as Operation Killen Court. After months of surveillance, wiretaps, and search warrants, authorities arrested twenty-four Mob Piru members and associates. Investigators also uncovered a firearms trafficking operation involving postal employees who helped facilitate robberies and the transportation of weapons from Georgia to California.

Hollywood Club Shooting (2011)

On April 16, 2011, Glen Austin Wagner, a documented Mob Piru member known as “G-Mac,” became involved in a fatal shooting at an after-hours club in Hollywood. Wagner was later convicted of first-degree murder and mayhem and sentenced to 89 years to life in prison. The case demonstrated how gang-related conflicts originating in Compton frequently extended beyond traditional neighborhood boundaries.

Hood Day Shooting (2014)

On June 6, 2014, Mob Piru members Kevin White and Alvin Jackson opened fire on a residence within rival Lueders Park Piru territory during the gang’s annual Hood Day celebration. The residence was hosting a ten-year-old child’s birthday party at the time of the attack. Multiple people were injured, and both men were later convicted of attempted murder, receiving sentences of seventy-five years to life. The case drew significant attention because of the presence of numerous children at the location during the shooting.

Alliances And Rivals

Historically, Mob Piru has maintained close alliances with the Elm Street Piru and Hollywood Piru. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, violent disputes emerged between Mob Piru and Fruit Town Piru, resulting in multiple retaliatory shootings and deaths. Similar conflicts later erupted between Mob Piru and Lueders Park Piru despite the historical ties between the two gangs.