Seven deputies from within the Los Angeles County sheriff’s gang unit have been placed on leave on suspicion that they belonged to a secret clique that celebrated shootings and branded its members with matching tattoos, sources confirmed.

The move is a sign of the intensifying nature of the probe of the “Jump Out Boys.” Suspicion about the group's existence was sparked several weeks ago when a supervisor discovered a pamphlet describing the group's creed, which promoted aggressive policing and portrayed officer shootings in a positive light.

Days after The Times reported on the discovery of the pamphlet, the captain of the division gathered his deputies for a private briefing, during which he told them that they had shamed the department by forming the group and urged those responsible to identify themselves, a source with knowledge of the unit's inner workings said.

At some point, one deputy came forward, and named six others, the source said. All seven were placed on leave with pay sometime this week, sources said. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing.

Internal affairs investigators are trying to determine whether the deputies violated Sheriff's Department rules or committed serious misconduct.

The deputies under scrutiny have all worked on the Gang Enforcement Team, a unit divided into two platoons of relatively autonomous deputies who target neighborhoods where gang violence is high, locate armed gang members and take their guns away.