WESTWOOD - Baby gangster, gangster, old gangster, prince and finally, king.

That was the Westwood youth gang's hierarchy.

Anyone who wanted to advance through those ranks had to randomly attack someone. Depending on what happened, points would be awarded. An attack earned one point, a robbery six.

A boy had to be invited into the gang. Every six points he earned brought a "promotion."

The boys roamed in a pack, drawing power from their numbers.

They targeted white victims because they believed white people would only call police after being attacked. Black victims, they reasoned, would gather family members and retaliate.

Their victims included a 5-foot-1, 130-pound deaf woman they followed out the Westwood library, a Harrison Avenue businessman who came to the aid of a teenager under attack and a man who had a concealed carry permit and scared them off with his gun.

The boys weren't the Bloods or the Crips, violent organized gangs that operate in larger cities.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090430/NEWS0107/905010333/0/NEWS0107