2 TEENS FACE CHARGES IN ATTACK ON PROBATION OFFICERS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Two teen-agers alleged to be members of the same Los Angeles street gang will be prosecuted for a Feb. 18 attack that injured three probation officers at Challenger Memorial Youth Center.

The attack occurred after an officer told one of the assailants to move from a table and sit somewhere else.

``Some of their rules are about gang members grouping up. One of the officers ordered one of the juveniles to move from a table and sit somewhere else. The juvenile became belligerent and uncooperative. He began walking toward the officer as if he was complying and then sucker-punched the officer in the face,'' sheriff's Detective Vince Carter said.

The 17-year-old ward broke his wrist when he punched the officer in the face, Carter said.

The 17-year-old, whose name was not released because of his age, pleaded not guilty Friday in Sylmar Juvenile Court to assault on a peace officer, battery on a peace officer, criminal threats and mayhem.

Prosecutors will seek to try him as an adult.

Lancaster prosecutors filed two counts of battery on a peace officer against Ellis Craig, 18, of Los Angeles, who punched and kicked staff members as they tried to restrain the first detainee, officials said.

Craig is scheduled to be arraigned next week in Lancaster Superior Court.

The 17-year-old, who has a prior record for assaulting a peace officer, was in Challenger for assault with a deadly weapon. Craig was in the camp for possession of a weapon, officials said.

The attack occurred about 4:20 p.m. in a day room where 49 detainees were watching television, Carter said. There was a male and female officer in the room.

``The officers were able to finally restrain the two suspects. Then the suspects after they got handcuffed started yelling out their gang name and threatening to kill officers,'' Carter said.

A third juvenile who was not involved in the physical attack attempted to incite a riot during the struggle by yelling at other wards, officials said.

A source said the unit was understaffed when the attack occurred and that the officers did not have pepper spray because the probation department as a cost-saving measure canceled the training necessary to carry it.

Challenger officials said staffing was adequate and that more staffing would not have deterred the attack.

The first officer attacked suffered a cut to his lip that required 11 stitches; a second officer had a broken tooth and a black eye; and a third had a sprained wrist and pain in her shoulder.

Challenger is divided into six camps, each of which will hold 110 wards. The population is averaging about 650 total on any given day but fluctuates as youths are brought in or released. Wards live in open dormitory-style quarters.