Chapters 6-10 Summary and Analysis

In Chapter 6, Murder in the 'Hood, Reymundo became close friends with Flaco, a teammate on the Western Boys sports team. The Spanish Lords start a gang war with the Spanish Cobras, a new Puerto Rican group on the west side of Western Avenue that included his old friend Julio. Reymundo heard shots fired a few blocks from his home. Later, he learned that the Lords were exchanging gunfire with the Cobras, who were barricaded in a house. The Lords threw firebombs into the building and shot at the Cobras as they ran out. Only the arrival of the police prevented all the Cobras from being mowed down. That ended the gang war until next summer.

Because of his violent upbringing, shooting and bombing rival gangs seemed like a normal way to resolve differences to Reymundo.He craved the acceptance...