Logan Heights Gang
Encyclopedia
The Logan Heights gang is a Sureño street gang
based in Southeast San Diego
.
Although they are based in San Diego, the influence of the gang has spread to other cities in the United States (Los Angeles
, Las Vegas
, Denver, Minneapolis) and to Tijuana, Mexico. Membership is not restricted to Mexican-Americans, and the gang has included Mexican
nationals, members from other Hispanic
cultures, Native Americans
, and whites.
The Logan Heights gang has been an allied to the Tijuana Cartel
(Arellano-Félix Organization) over the Tijuana
smuggling route to the border city of San Diego, California
. The alliance between Tijuana cartel and the gang began On November 8, 1992 when Hector Palma Salazar struck out against the Tijuana Cartel at a disco
in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, where eight Tijuana Cartel members were killed in the shootout, the Arellano-Félix brothers having successfully escaped from the location with the assistance of Logan Heights gangster David D Barron.
In retaliation, the Logan Heights and the Tijuana Cartel attempted to set up Guzmán at Guadalajara airport on May 24, 1993. In the shootout that followed, six civilians were killed by the hired gunmen from the gang. The deaths included that of Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo. The church hierarchy originally believed Ocampo was targeted as revenge for his strong stance against the drug trade. However, Mexican officials believe Ocampo just happened to be caught in cross fire. The Cardinal arrived at the airport in a white Mercury Grand Marquis
town car, known to be popular amongst drug barons, making it a target. Intelligence received by Logan Heights gang leader David D Barron was that Guzmán would be arriving in a white Mercury Grand Marquis
town car. This explanation, however, is often countered due to Ocampo having been wearing a long black cassock
and large pectoral cross
, as well as him sharing no similarity in appearance with Guzmán and having been gunned down from only two feet away.
The Logan Heights gang also has close ties to the Mexican Mafia
, and the Tijuana Cartel
. Enemies of the gang include several San Diego County gangs (most notably Barrio Sherman, Varrio Shelltown, and Old Town National City), and gangs from North Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
based in Southeast San Diego
Southeast San Diego
Southeast San Diego is the southeastern portion of the City of San Diego, generally represented by the urban neighborhoods directly east of Downtown San Diego, bordered by Interstate 5 and south of the Martin Luther King Jr...
.
History
The Logan Heights gang was established in Southeast San Diego during the 1960's, when several individual Mexican-American street gangs from the neighborhoods of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, and Memorial unified. Currently the gang is composed of four main subsets (Red Steps, 30th Street, 33rd Street, Logan Heights 13) that control those neighborhoods. There is also a small subset called Logan Heights Clicka that controls the Colina del Sol neigborhood of the City Heights district in San Diego.Although they are based in San Diego, the influence of the gang has spread to other cities in the United States (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...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Denver, Minneapolis) and to Tijuana, Mexico. Membership is not restricted to Mexican-Americans, and the gang has included Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
nationals, members from other 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 ...
cultures, Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, and whites.
The Logan Heights gang has been an allied to the Tijuana Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
The Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
(Arellano-Félix Organization) over the Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
smuggling route to the border city of San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The alliance between Tijuana cartel and the gang began On November 8, 1992 when Hector Palma Salazar struck out against the Tijuana Cartel at a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, where eight Tijuana Cartel members were killed in the shootout, the Arellano-Félix brothers having successfully escaped from the location with the assistance of Logan Heights gangster David D Barron.
In retaliation, the Logan Heights and the Tijuana Cartel attempted to set up Guzmán at Guadalajara airport on May 24, 1993. In the shootout that followed, six civilians were killed by the hired gunmen from the gang. The deaths included that of Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo. The church hierarchy originally believed Ocampo was targeted as revenge for his strong stance against the drug trade. However, Mexican officials believe Ocampo just happened to be caught in cross fire. The Cardinal arrived at the airport in a white Mercury Grand Marquis
Mercury Grand Marquis
The Mercury Grand Marquis was a full-size rear-wheel drive sedan sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company; the Grand Marquis was the flagship of the Mercury lineup. The nameplate itself had been in use since 1975 as the premium trim level of the Mercury Marquis; the Grand...
town car, known to be popular amongst drug barons, making it a target. Intelligence received by Logan Heights gang leader David D Barron was that Guzmán would be arriving in a white Mercury Grand Marquis
Mercury Grand Marquis
The Mercury Grand Marquis was a full-size rear-wheel drive sedan sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company; the Grand Marquis was the flagship of the Mercury lineup. The nameplate itself had been in use since 1975 as the premium trim level of the Mercury Marquis; the Grand...
town car. This explanation, however, is often countered due to Ocampo having been wearing a long black cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
and large pectoral cross
Pectoral cross
A pectoral cross or pectorale is a cross, usually relatively large, suspended from the neck by a cord or chain that reaches well down the chest. It is worn by the clergy as an indication of their position, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians, which have no...
, as well as him sharing no similarity in appearance with Guzmán and having been gunned down from only two feet away.
The Logan Heights gang also has close ties to the Mexican Mafia
Mexican Mafia
The Mexican Mafia , also known as La Eme , 13 is a Mexican American criminal organization, and is one of the oldest and most powerful prison gangs in the United States.-Foundation:...
, and the Tijuana Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
The Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
. Enemies of the gang include several San Diego County gangs (most notably Barrio Sherman, Varrio Shelltown, and Old Town National City), and gangs from North Hollywood, Los Angeles.