211 Crew
 211 Crew emblem | |
| Founded | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Territory | Colorado and Texas |
| Ethnicity | White American |
| Membership (est.) | 1,000[1] |
| Activities | Murder, weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, assault |
211 Crew is a white supremacist prison gang, active both in and out of prison, that was formed in 1995 at Colorado's Denver County Jail. It was linked to several high-profile murders and criminal investigations. Those included the assassination of Colorado Department of Corrections head Tom Clements. Due to a threatening letter sent by a Texas Aryan Brotherhood member, it was suspected to be linked to similar assassinations of Texas district attorney Mike McLelland, and his assistant prosecutor Mark Hasse, but a former Justice of the Peace was eventually indicted for those murders.[2][3][4][5]
Formation
The gang was formed in 1995 after founding member Benjamin Davis was beaten and nearly killed in a racially motivated attack by a black inmate. Davis was jumped and beaten with a sock stuffed full of soap bars, resulting in a badly broken jaw. Davis decided to form a gang in order to protect himself, and other white inmates, from the black and Latino gangs. 211 Crew began as a deception to fool black and Latino gangs into thinking that a white gang was present to protect white inmates. As the rumor grew within the institution, men soon started asking about membership and 211 Crew became a prison gang. As members got released they started recruiting on the street level.[2][3]
Racism and ideology
When founded, the gang embraced symbols traditionally associated with Irish, Nazi and Viking culture, some members have tattoos of shamrocks, Viking horns, swastikas and/or other Nazi sigils. Members refer to each other as "Irishmen", and are banned from having sex with non-whites. Coupled with the gang’s alleged ties to the Aryan Brotherhood, many have classified 211 Crew as a white supremacist prison gang. However, it maintains positive relations with the Juggalos,[6] a multi-ethnic gang,[disputed (for: Inaccurate statement about Juggalos) – discuss] and 211 Crew members, including its founders, have been documented with ties to black inmates. Israel Davis, father of Benjamin Davis, has stated that his son is not a racist and has two black siblings. However, 211 Crew members have also been linked to racially motivated murders of African Americans, making the gang's official stance on race unclear.[2][3][7]
Notable incidents
In 1997, African immigrant Oumar Dia was murdered by 211 Crew gang members while waiting for a bus in Denver.[2]
In 2013, 211 Crew member Evan Spencer Ebel, murdered a local pizza delivery man in order to use his work clothes and paraphernalia as a disguise. Ebel then drove to the home of Colorado Department of Corrections head Tom Clements and called at the door, under the ruse of delivering a pizza. When Clements answered, Ebel shot him several times. After murdering Clements on the steps of his own home, Ebel immediately fled; authorities finally caught up to him on a Texas highway, possibly on his way to Mexico. Ebel refused to surrender and engaged in a protracted, high speed car chase and shootout with pursuing law enforcement officers. The pursuit came to an end after Ebel crashed head on into a gravel truck, sustaining serious injuries. Following the accident, Ebel never regained consciousness and was removed from life support the following day.[2][8]
References
- ^ Colorado prison officials have banished 211 Crew leaders across U.S. But are they spreading white supremacist seeds? Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post (September 7, 2017)
- ^ a b c d e Mitchell, Kirk. "211 Crew prison gang's violent culture roils behind, beyond bars". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
- ^ a b c Ryan Parker. "211 Crew, supremacist group, involved in high-profile crimes". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
- ^ "Kaufman County, Texas, on edge after 2 prosecutors killed". CNN.com. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
- ^ McClelland Archives Archived 2014-04-14 at the Wayback Machine, Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
- ^ "Juggalos: Emerging Gang Trends and Criminal Activity : Intelligence Report" (PDF). Info.publicintelligence.net. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
- ^ "211 Crew prison gang's violent culture roils behind, beyond bars". The Denver Post. 26 March 2013.
- ^ MITCHELL, KIRK (16 March 2017). "White supremacist gang conspired to kill Colorado prisons director, new documents allege". The Denver Post. Retrieved 21 September 2017.