211 Crew

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211 Crew
211 Crew emblem
Founded1995; 29 years ago (1995)
Founding locationDenver, Colorado, United States
Years active1995–present
TerritoryColorado and Texas
EthnicityWhite American
Membership (est.)1,000[1]
ActivitiesMurder, weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, assault
Notable membersMichael Collins

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[edit]

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[edit]

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", or "Mugs". Though the gang has alleged ties to the Aryan Brotherhood, there is no prohibition on members sleeping with other races. Many 211 Crew members have interracial children. 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) ] 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[edit]

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 with pursuing law enforcement officers. The pursuit came to an end after Ebel crashed into a gravel truck. Following the accident, Ebel began a gunfight with police, being shot multiple times in the process. Ebel was taken to the hospital, but never regained consciousness and was removed from life support the following day.[2][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ 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)
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c Ryan Parker. "211 Crew, supremacist group, involved in high-profile crimes". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
  4. ^ "Kaufman County, Texas, on edge after 2 prosecutors killed". CNN.com. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
  5. ^ McClelland Archives Archived 2014-04-14 at the Wayback Machine, Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Juggalos: Emerging Gang Trends and Criminal Activity : Intelligence Report" (PDF). Info.publicintelligence.net. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
  7. ^ "211 Crew prison gang's violent culture roils behind, beyond bars". The Denver Post. 26 March 2013.
  8. ^ MITCHELL, KIRK (16 March 2017). "White supremacist gang conspired to kill Colorado prisons director, new documents allege". The Denver Post. Retrieved 21 September 2017.