Gang activity in Denver
Encyclopedia
Gang activity and associated crime
is a long-standing concern in Denver, Colorado
. The city's street gang
activity received statewide attention in 1993 when a "Summer of Violence" increased public awareness of gang-related violence and led the state to enact harsh penalties for crime by juveniles. From 1992 to 1995, Denver had 331 murders: 95 in 1992, 74 in 1993, and 81 each in 1994 and 1995. Gang-related crime has continued, as shown by the New Year's Day 2007 drive-by shooting
of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams
by members of the Tre Tre Crips, an East Denver street gang. In 2003, the city's police estimated that there were 14,000 gang members in Denver, affiliated with 220 gangs.
Two nationwide street gangs with predominant African-American memberships, the Crips
and the Bloods
, have presence in the Denver area. As of 2001, it was estimated that there were 1,700 Chicano
gang members in the city, belonging to about 20 gangs. As of 2009, law enforcement agencies identify a local Hispanic
gang on Denver's west side known as the Gallant Knights Insane as having been responsible for crack cocaine and firearms trafficking, homicides, drive-by shootings, aggravated assaults, home invasions, and robberies in the area. A Hispanic street gang called the North Side Mafia has been involved in various criminal activities such as homicide, robberies, drug trafficking. The Eighteenth Street Sedanos
, a Los Angeles
gang, reportedly has had a large presence in Denver due to gang members who relocate to the city to avoid probation
problems in Southern California. Other more nationally recognized street gangs in Denver are the Rollin' 30 Crips and Tre Tre Crips, which are located on Denver's East Side. Denver's gang activity has expanded into adjacent areas such as Aurora
.
There are social service groups in the community engaged in discouraging young people from becoming involved in gangs. Some of their efforts were featured on the TV program Gangland
in March 2010 in an episode entitled "Mile High Killers" that was perceived locally as having misrepresented their work and possibly promoted violence between rival gangs.
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
is a long-standing concern in Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The city's street gang
Gangs in the United States
Street gangs in the United States date to the early 19th century. The most publicized street gangs in the U.S. are African-American; black gangs were not recognized as a social problem until after the great migration of the 1910s...
activity received statewide attention in 1993 when a "Summer of Violence" increased public awareness of gang-related violence and led the state to enact harsh penalties for crime by juveniles. From 1992 to 1995, Denver had 331 murders: 95 in 1992, 74 in 1993, and 81 each in 1994 and 1995. Gang-related crime has continued, as shown by the New Year's Day 2007 drive-by shooting
Drive-by shooting
A drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams
Darrent Williams
Darrent Demarcus Williams was an American football player for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Williams was also the owner and CEO of independent record label RYNO Entertainment in Fort Worth, Texas.-High school:Born and raised in Fort Worth, Williams attended O.D...
by members of the Tre Tre Crips, an East Denver street gang. In 2003, the city's police estimated that there were 14,000 gang members in Denver, affiliated with 220 gangs.
Two nationwide street gangs with predominant African-American memberships, the Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
and the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, have presence in the Denver area. As of 2001, it was estimated that there were 1,700 Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
gang members in the city, belonging to about 20 gangs. As of 2009, law enforcement agencies identify a local Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
gang on Denver's west side known as the Gallant Knights Insane as having been responsible for crack cocaine and firearms trafficking, homicides, drive-by shootings, aggravated assaults, home invasions, and robberies in the area. A Hispanic street gang called the North Side Mafia has been involved in various criminal activities such as homicide, robberies, drug trafficking. The Eighteenth Street Sedanos
18th Street gang
18th Street gang is considered to be the largest transnational criminal gang in Los Angeles, California. It is estimated that there are thousands of members in Los Angeles County alone...
, a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
gang, reportedly has had a large presence in Denver due to gang members who relocate to the city to avoid probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
problems in Southern California. Other more nationally recognized street gangs in Denver are the Rollin' 30 Crips and Tre Tre Crips, which are located on Denver's East Side. Denver's gang activity has expanded into adjacent areas such as Aurora
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
.
There are social service groups in the community engaged in discouraging young people from becoming involved in gangs. Some of their efforts were featured on the TV program Gangland
Gangland (TV series)
Gangland is a documentary television series that airs on The History Channel. It usually airs on Thursday evenings although it has been known to arbitrarily change days every so often. Gangland explores the history of some of America's more notorious gangs. It premiered on November 1, 2007 with a...
in March 2010 in an episode entitled "Mile High Killers" that was perceived locally as having misrepresented their work and possibly promoted violence between rival gangs.