KCRag Forum

I was wondering if some of you could shed some light on the underworld of gangs in this city. I have heard that both the Bloods and the Crips inhabit KC, and there's also some other kind of gang called the Mendozas. Some other gangs also based on ethnicities and whatnot.

I've been completely oblivious to this aspect of the city, but the gals that own Munchiez on Westport Rd were telling me about it. Occasionally their property, and the property of other neighborhood businesses, gets vandalized or graffiti'd by some local gangs. I am told that the gang rivalries occasionally lead to bloodshed as well. But what I find odd is that I never hear anything about any of this in the mainstream local media.

If you know anything about this, please share.

From what I've heard, there are simply dozens of gangs based primarly on location and focused around the drug trade.  It's not as organized as it was in the 80's and the movie Colors....it's very fractured now.

There was an excellent two part story in the Pitch about this and specifically about two groups of gangs, the origins of gang violence in the western United States and how it relates to Los Angeles, and the social aspects of city gangs and what they represent.

In the article, the 55th street Bloods (55th-59th St. between Paseo and Prospect), and the Third Wall (30th-39th St. and Benton Blvd.) are the two mentioned, so those are the main two that I know.

Well I'll have to talk to my brother. He lives in Compton, CA. He knows all about gangs.

Tosspot wrote: I was wondering if some of you could shed some light on the underworld of gangs in this city. I have heard that both the Bloods and the Crips inhabit KC, and there's also some other kind of gang called the Mendozas. Some other gangs also based on ethnicities and whatnot.

I've been completely oblivious to this aspect of the city, but the gals that own Munchiez on Westport Rd were telling me about it. Occasionally their property, and the property of other neighborhood businesses, gets vandalized or graffiti'd by some local gangs. I am told that the gang rivalries occasionally lead to bloodshed as well. But what I find odd is that I never hear anything about any of this in the mainstream local media.

If you know anything about this, please share.

I know a mendoza family? but not a gang.

The gangs in KC are just a bunch of little groups.  Nothing like Compton or LA.  There are hundreds of small gangs in the area, but nothing like the Chicago's or LA's.  Most of the grafitti is not really gang related. Especially around Westport.  There is a small underground of "Taggers", who just do it for whatever reason, most of that isn't gang related.

the CROOKZ or CROOKS?

they arent very creative...

The ladies at Munchiez said these gang folks drop in occasionally, and are usually just the nicest people. Weird.

Tosspot wrote: The ladies at Munchiez said these gang folks drop in occasionally, and are usually just the nicest people. Weird.

See the Mafia. Gang, nice enough folks, fagetaboutit.

Well, here in Northeast, we've got our share of this shit. One drive down St. John and you get a quick lesson as to the who's who in our hood. Miller's Cleaners, roughly St. John & Jackson is covered with just about every brand of gang grafitti runnin in our hood. A quick rundown:

ESL - East Side Locos. Hispanic gang with possible national affiliations. (Crips) Very prolific with grafitti. Its freakin everywhere and in pretty much all sizes on all kinds of material.

NES - North East Sdie. This is an evolution of the old 9th street dogs from back in the late 80's and early 90's. Most of them (the Brown family) went to jail over time and they've recently re-organized (if you can call it that) They're the "equal opportunity" gang, taking whites, blacks, street morons, you name it. Not a lot of motivation, as evidenced by their stark LACK of grafitti, much less grafitti prowess. They do like to steel cars however as do most of the gang types around here.

SUR-13 - Again, Mexicans, mostly from WY Co, but they have a strong presence in Northeast and the Upper East Side. Grafitti is usually accompanied by three dots arranged in a triangle with the words chispa or chipa or some such shit.

MK - Mexicon Kings. No, I didn't mispell it, thats the way its used. New gang in town, just got started marking their territory, which is why St. John looks like it does. Not much known on these morons, but I've heard this is some kind of Nat affiliated group. Unsure as to who.

I'm sure there's more, but these are the major players for right now.

Sportster
...grafitti block? check. steel wool? check. .40 cal glock? check.

How much are today's gangs are involved in crime or inter-gang rivalry?  Even if they are as active as you say, hardly any gang-related crime makes it into the news.  Our local TV stations would be all over it with LIVE TEAM COVERAGE if there was gang violence going on.

Seems like there is none of the open gang warefare of the 1990s.  Is it more than tagging and petty crime?

Try as you may, but the Sharks and the Jets wil lnever be stopped.

dangerboy wrote: How much are today's gangs are involved in crime or inter-gang rivalry?   Even if they are as active as you say, hardly any gang-related crime makes it into the news.  Our local TV stations would be all over it with LIVE TEAM COVERAGE if there was gang violence going on.

Seems like there is none of the open gang warefare of the 1990s.  Is it more than tagging and petty crime?

Most of its larceny, stealing, break ins, prop crimes, car theft - that kind of shit. Its not on the news b/c - frankly, they've got bigger fish to fry. (like broken windows in OP, mailbox batting in Platte CO). plenty of businesses in Northeast can attest to gang fights, 'specially in the middle and high schools. Most of its between the gangs, but there are innocent people who end up in the middle of it. Was down on Cliff Drive last week, taking pics and encountered a bunch of these morons dumping a car and tagging the fountain. Called PD, they, to their credit got there in a hurry. I'm here. 

Sportster
...had it with the morons

Sportster wrote: Most of its larceny, stealing, break ins, prop crimes, car theft - that kind of shit. Its not on the news b/c - frankly, they've got bigger fish to fry. (like broken windows in OP, mailbox batting in Platte CO). plenty of businesses in Northeast can attest to gang fights, 'specially in the middle and high schools. Most of its between the gangs, but there are innocent people who end up in the middle of it. Was down on Cliff Drive last week, taking pics and encountered a bunch of these morons dumping a car and tagging the fountain. Called PD, they, to their credit got there in a hurry. I'm here. 

Sportster
...had it with the morons

Good for you for reporting it, and kudos to the PD for getting there.  You want reclaim the neighborhood until there are people out and about that drive away the sketchy behavior.  People, go out and enjoy the neighborhoods, they are ours.

Most of the street gang action in town seems to have settled down substantially from 10-15 years ago, when crack was at its peak. Hopefully it will continue to decline, but I wish there was a way to solve it. Obviously we can make it clear it is not welcome in our neighborhoods, but we'll just push it into other neighborhoods and make it Somebody Else's Problem. What do you do? 

mean wrote: ...Obviously we can make it clear it is not welcome in our neighborhoods, but we'll just push it into other neighborhoods and make it Somebody Else's Problem. What do you do? 

I had an interesting but very telling encounter with a former KCPD Major in a public meeting back in 2,000 I think. The topic of discussion was crime and I politely indicated to the person talking that the POlice Dept. is no longer in the Law Enforcement business. This drew an interesting look from the Major. I continues that P.D. was in the Crime Management business, managing crime from one location to another, thenon to another. When I got done, the Major is shakin his head in approval. So from that day forward, I tell every neighbor I see that they need to shift their paradigms and accept this new paradigm the Police Dept is offering. You'll lower your blood pressure and stress levels alomst instantaneously. 

Sportster
...its a dumbing down, slippery slope thing - and that can't be good

Speaking of the cliff drive area, you must admit the taggers have guts (or a deathwish).  Of course, I'm afraid of heights...

I drove down Chestnut all last summer while the Paseo bridge was closed so I could take the back way over to Cheoteau to go north.  I couldn't believe someone had tagged the side of that scary-high bridge.  I was just amazed each time I drove under it going down the hill.  But again, I'm a chicken-@#!&...

Police estimate that there are now more than 100 different gangs in Kansas City


Gang Activity Increasing In Metro, Police Say
Police Estimate More Than 100 Gangs In KC


KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In a year that Kansas City has seen a jump in the murder rate, police said that gang activity is increasing.

KMBC's Jere Gish reported that the police department's gang squad is out on the streets every night trying to cut down on the gang-banging.

Police said that gang activity has gotten a lot worse in the metro over the past few years. In Kansas City alone, police have identified more than 3,000 gang members.

"They're involved in marijuana, methamphetamines, crack cocaine, cocaine," said Sgt. Jay Pruetting, who supervises the police department's gang squad.

Pruetting said everyone should be concerned about the problem.

"It's a threat to everybody, not just certain parts of the city. It can go throughout the city. It can go to the suburbs, everywhere," Pruetting said.

Gish reported that police estimate that there are now more than 100 different gangs in Kansas City, like the East Side Locos, 24th Street NBG and the Northeast Side Bloods.

Police estimated that 90 percent of the gang's illegal activity involves drugs.

Gish joined the squad on a night when officers were looking to arrest a suspected drug dealer at his home. The police department's tactical team helped with the operation.

"There's fortification, possibly kids inside, again definitely one pit bull we know about. The subject has been known to be armed in the past," an officer said.

"Sometimes they'll say, 'I don't know if I'll make it until tomorrow, which is sad for somebody that hasn't hit 17 yet," gang squad member Eric Benson said.

Gish said as they waited to serve the search warrant, officers showed him the "newspaper" of the streets -- graffiti.

"It kind of tells you what is going on and who is still mad at who," Benson said.

Walls are filled with gang names and a lot of X-outs -- one gang crossing out another.

"That can lead to violence. It can show, 'Hey, my gang is in the area also,'" Pruetting explained.

Later in the night, the target of the warrant was spotted in a car outside the house. The car took off and police pursued.

"We've got a motorcycle officer that's going to pull him over," an officer said.

Four people were in the car. The target of the warrant was taken into custody. With the man under arrest, officers served the search warrant the house they had staked out.

Gish reported that an undercover officer made a drug buy at the house, but finding the supply often proves tricky. Drug dealers are always moving the drugs around. In fact, the gang squad did not find much at the house they searched -- just a small amount of marijuana and some cash. But then a break in the case led them to a house not far away, where police said they found a large amount of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, pot and more than $80,000 in cash.

"It happens like this every once and a while. You start at one place and you go down the trail and it leads you to bigger and better things," Pruetting said.

The methamphetamine and cocaine found in the home had a street value estimated at more than $60,000. Gish reported that the men involved were part of a Mexican gang called Granado.


http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/new ... etail.html

All are just punk kids!

schugg wrote: All are just punk kids!

Better study up.

http://www.faculty.missouristate.edu/m/ ... niques.htm