Avenues (gang)
witness intimidation and human trafficking | |
| Allies | Mexican Mafia[5] Sureños[6] |
|---|---|
| Rivals | 18th Street gang[7] Satanas[8] |
The Avenues, also known as Avenidas or AVE's, is a Mexican/Mexican American criminal street gang mostly in Los Angeles County, California. They originally started as a social club for local Latino youths to protect themselves from other violent youths. The Avenues, like most Mexican gangs in Los Angeles, are under the direct control of the Mexican Mafia when sent to State, County, or Federal prisons.
History
The Avenues were not always violent when they started and rarely engaged in illegal activities. They were started by the Flores brothers in the 1940s, but little is known about the brothers. The greatest of their crimes during the 1940s were simple assaults. As time progressed and their numbers increased, they became more violent and started to act more like a criminal street gang and less like a social club. In the late 1960s, when heroin started to flood the streets, they turned for the worse and would be forevermore labeled a criminal street gang. They increasingly took part in the illegal drug trade and these actions have continued to the present day. By the time the 1970s rolled around the Avenues had grown from a neighborhood social club into a highly organized gang whose territory stretched 6 miles. The Avenues also began to clash with neighboring gangs, such as Highland Park 13, Cypress Park Boys,
Location
The Avenues are located in
Culture
The Avenues have a long history of involvement with the Mexican Mafia. Gang members are secretive and their code of silence is taken seriously and violations have lethal consequences. Respect and loyalty are considered to be very important. They challenge anyone and enforce the borders of their territory with deadly accuracy. Avenues gang members tattoos are known by a skull with a fedora and a bullet hole in the skull, or the letters LA, AVES, A's and Avenidas. The Avenues are one of LA's most violent gangs. President Bill Clinton spoke out against them in 1995.
Criminal activity
The Avenues gained national attention in 1995, when several members opened fire on a car that made a wrong turn into a
See also
- Gangs in Los Angeles
- Surenos
References
- ^ Boxall, B. (2012). "Avenues gang has a long, violent history in Los Angeles | Street Gangs Resource Center". streetgangs.com. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
- ^ Avenues of death Christine Pelisek, LA Weekly (July 14, 2005)
- ^ "Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council –". historichighlandpark.org. 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
- ^ Quinones, S. (February 8, 2010). "Former shot-caller is now spilling gang's secrets". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Avenues gang leader gets 25 years for racketeering KABC-TV (October 27, 2013)
- ^ The fascinating history of the Sureño Mongol, Ruben Cavazos Andrew Eways, police1.com (February 20, 2015)
- ^ The Avenues: Highland Park Gang KCET (November 14, 2011)
- ^ Philippine Gang Member Convicted in 2 Slayings Robert W. Stewart, Los Angeles Times (July 17, 1985)
- ^ Pelisek, C. (August 2, 2006). "Avenues gang members meet the end of the road". Los Angeles Weekly.
- ^ Hewlitt, R. (Director) (2009). Highway to hell [Television series episode]. In Pearman, V. (Executive Producer), Gangland: Season 4, Episode 1. Los Angeles, CA: The History Channel.
- ^ Rubin, J. (September 22, 2009). "Massive raid in Glassell Park nabs 44 Avenues gang members; Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Quinones, S. (February 5, 2009). "Avenues gang bastion is demolished; Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Boxell, B. (2011). "Avenues gang has a long, violent history in Los Angeles | Street Gangs Resource Center". streetgangs.com. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
- ^ Deverell, W., & Hise, G. (2010). A companion to los angeles. (p. 83). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing
- ^ Mock, B. (2011). "L.A. Blackout | Southern Poverty Law Center". splcenter.org. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
- ^ Williams, S. (2011). "DEA, Partners Attack Notorious L.A. Avenues Gang | Black Radio Networ..." blackradionetwork.com. Retrieved December 25, 2011.