John Jefferson
One of the crime scenes that left one person dead and wounded three in Minnesota in February 2024 (KSTP).
Eleven suspected members of a Minnesota street gang have been charged in a federal racketeering case alleging murders and attempted murders in bloody gang violence that killed rivals and bystanders alike.
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy indictment names leaders, organizers, and members of the Lows street gang and alleges “a pattern of unthinkable and reprehensible violence,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday when the case was unsealed.
“The charges we announced today against the Lows allege a pattern of unthinkable and reprehensible violence by the Lows from 2021 into 2024,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota announced in a press conference. “Seven shootings, 10 victims, five murders. By charging these 11 Lows members under RICO, we are once again addressing the gang as a whole.”
At the press conference, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara addressed the defendants directly.
“To the 11 violent offenders that have been indicted, we told you that we were coming for you,” he said. “Not only did you devalue human life in our city by hunting and killing rival gang members and celebrating those deaths on social media.”
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, the head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said the defendants are leaders, organizers, and members of the Lows street gang responsible for bloodshed and gun and drug trafficking.
“Violent gangs that engage in bloody street wars and peddle deadly drugs endanger our communities,” Argentieri said. “The Criminal Division, along with our local, state, and federal partners, is committed to holding violent criminals accountable, including by bringing racketeering charges.”
Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office said the gang has long had a hold on the community.
“For too long, the Lows have inflicted pain and spread fear in north Minneapolis,” Winston said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we are determined to remove this threat from our communities and help restore a sense of security to all who call this city home.”
The indictment outlines the bloodshed from May 2021 and February 2024, including deadly shootings at gas stations, a fatal shooting near a food truck, and a shooting on Feb. 27, 2024, in a high crime area of Minneapolis that left one person dead and wounded three.
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