| 00:00:07 | >> narrator: THIS BARBARIC
Assault on the chicanos was
captured on amateur video.
|
| 00:00:14 | >> Members of the tri-city
bombers came by this residence
one morning and threw in some
cocktail molotovs inside,
and their intent was to try to
get this homeowners come out.
|
| 00:00:29 | He's known also a member of
the texas chicano gang.
|
| 00:00:34 | >> narrator: ONLY ONE OF THE
Three molotov cocktails
exploded, but that didn't stop
the bloody battle.
|
| 00:00:41 | >> You don't think about it
twice.
|
| 00:00:43 | You just see them,
and you do it.
|
| 00:00:45 | If you got a knife, stab 'em.
|
| 00:00:46 | If you got a gun, shoot 'em.
|
| 00:00:47 | Shoot to kill.
|
| 00:00:52 | >> narrator: EDDIE STARTED
Claiming the texas chicano
brotherhood in 2000.
|
| 00:01:07 | The gang's war was always front
and center.
|
| 00:01:12 | >> They would push that hate
towards the tri-city bombers
and how many of them there were
and how they were and other
stuff, so I started getting
hate towards them.
|
| 00:01:22 | We would always come to fight
with bats, knives, guns.
|
| 00:01:37 | >> narrator: AT THE ROOT OF THIS
Gang war is drug money.
|
| 00:01:43 | Every day, narcotics cross from
mexico into south texas.
|
| 00:01:50 | It's a lucrative trade with
hundreds of thousands of
dollars at stake.
|
| 00:01:55 | >> Down in this area,
we speak in terms of pounds,
and that's usually 100 pounds
or more.
|
| 00:02:01 | We just seized from a house
over 1,800 pounds of marijuana.
|
| 00:02:07 | >> narrator: IN THE DRUG TRADE,
Cash is king, and the tri-city
bombers recruit anyone who will
help them get green.
|
| 00:02:17 | >> They'll look at the smart
guy.
|
| 00:02:19 | "This guy can make us money.
|
| 00:02:21 | This guy's a good business guy.
|
| 00:02:22 | He's already got some drug
"
>> narrator: JORGE "CHOCHE"
Martinez was a career dealer by
the time he joined t.c.b.
|
| 00:02:31 | In 1993.
|
| 00:02:44 | He had drug connections in
mexico, and getting product
was easy for him.
|
| 00:02:51 | >> I had a lot of gang members
that would listen to what i
would tell them.
|
| 00:02:57 | I'm not trying to glorify
myself or anything,
but they looked up to me.
|
| 00:03:01 | >> narrator: CHOCHE LEARNED
The trade from the ground up.
|
| 00:03:05 | >> I got involved in selling
drugs, making money.
|
| 00:03:10 | At a young age, I started
having money, knowing the
business.
|
| 00:03:16 | >> narrator: HIS CONNECTIONS
Led him to rise quickly in
the gang's drug empire.
|
| 00:03:21 | >> We were selling coke--
selling coke, selling pounds
of weed.
|
| 00:03:26 | They weren't used to seeing
that much at one time.
|
| 00:03:29 | I could fill the whole thing.
|
| 00:03:31 | I could fill it up.
|
| 00:03:36 | >> narrator: EVERYTHING CHANGED
When choche went after the texas
chicano brotherhood in one of
the most notorious crimes in
the bombers' history.
|
| 00:03:52 | January 5, 2003.
|
| 00:03:58 | Choche and eight tri-city
bombers were cruising the
streets.
|
| 00:04:05 | Choche got a tip that the
chicano brotherhood was holding
hundreds of pounds of marijuana
at a known hangout.
|
| 00:04:13 | >> Nobody was gonna be there.
|
| 00:04:15 | It was just like, "here.
|
| 00:04:16 | "
>> narrator: THE BOMBERS ARMED
THEMSELVES WITH AK-47s AND
9-Millimeter pistols.
|
| 00:04:25 | >> Anybody there, we were gonna
try to neutralize 'em,
'cause it's a rival--
it was a rival thing.
|
| 00:04:37 | >> narrator: CHOCHE PULLED UP
To the house, then waited in
the car as seven gunmen sneaked
through the back door.
|
| 00:04:47 | Choche says he had no idea what
was going down inside.
|
| 00:04:53 | Suddenly he heard a chilling
sound.
|
| 00:04:56 | >> I heard an a-k go off,
and like, probably do around
11 runds.
|
| 00:05:03 | >> It was just a--
it was just a slaughter.
|
| 00:05:07 | [gunshots]
There's no other way to
describe it, a massacre.
|
| 00:07:01 | back
bonus on every single purchase.
|
| 00:07:05 | What you do with it is up to you.
|
| 00:07:13 | What will you get back with your cash back?
|
| 00:07:19 | Now more than ever,
it pays to discover.
|
| 00:09:09 | >> narrator: BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS,
One of the biggest gateways for
drugs along the mexican border.
|
| 00:09:18 | The area is lucrative territory,
and the tri-city bombers,
, will do anything
to keep it.
|
| 00:09:28 | >> They have a complete
disregard for life.
|
| 00:09:32 | They don't have a method or
a mode or code about it.
|
| 00:09:34 | It's just anybody in any way
for any reason is okay.
|
| 00:09:40 | And that's what makes them
dangerous.
|
| 00:09:43 | >> Whoever's there as a witness,
they're gonna take it too.
|
| 00:09:47 | They're gonna--they're gonna
kill them too.
|
| 00:09:48 | They won't hesitate, you know.
|
| 00:09:50 | Whoever's in the way.
|
| 00:09:57 | >> narrator: ONLY ONE RIVAL IS
Willing to take on the tri-city
bombers, a gang that represents
with the same initials:
The texas chicano brotherhood.
|
| 00:10:07 | >> It's very serious.
|
| 00:10:08 | It's blown--it's gotten worse
and worse through the years.
|
| 00:10:12 | >> You have to be constantly
watching over your shoulder
no matter where you're at
or where you go.
|
| 00:10:19 | >> narrator: BUT IT WASN'T
Always this way.
|
| 00:10:23 | These mortal enemies were once
one gang.
|
| 00:10:33 | 1983, South texas.
|
| 00:10:38 | 56 Miles west of brownsville
are the tri-cities of pharr,
san juan, and alamo.
|
| 00:10:47 | In this southern dustbowl,
street football was a favorite
pastime.
|
| 00:10:54 | The games brought together kids
from the tri-city school
district.
|
| 00:11:00 | "D-town" asked to have his
identity concealed.
|
| 00:11:20 | >> narrator: THE COMPETITION
Was cutthroat.
|
| 00:11:35 | >> narrator: EVENTUALLY, TWO OF
The teams decided to unite.
|
| 00:11:41 | Anthony martinez helped
the combined team come up with
its name.
|
| 00:11:46 | ,
taking care of business.
|
| 00:11:52 | >> narrator: THE T.C.B.s BEGAN
Taking on all comers.
|
| 00:11:56 | And it didn't take long for the
violence to spread from the
gridiron to the streets.
|
| 00:12:03 | >> We started playing other
cities.
|
| 00:12:05 | People were getting hurt.
|
| 00:12:06 | There was shootouts.
|
| 00:12:07 | There was a lot of violence in
our gangs.
|
| 00:12:11 | People knew us as not only
a football team but a gang.
|
| 00:12:15 | We gave them what they
wanted.
|
| 00:12:17 | "
>> narrator: BY 1984,
THE T.C.B.s HAD TAKEN THEIR
No-holds-barred attitude to the
streets of south texas.
|
| 00:12:28 | They were clashing with gangs
like the loco treces
and po'boys.
|
| 00:12:44 | >> We were very dominant in
the area.
|
| 00:12:46 | Anybody who would come from,
you know, from chicago,
california, they would
definitely be in trouble,
you know, because we wanted
to be number one.
|
| 00:12:56 | >> narrator: T.C.B. FOCUSED ON
Burglaries and petty theft.
|
| 00:13:02 | Sal gamez got hooked on the life
as soon as a relative introduced
him to the gang.
|
| 00:13:09 | >> He's the one that taught me
how to steal.
|
| 00:13:11 | He's the one that introduced me
to cocaine, smoking weed,
a lot of stealing.
|
| 00:13:16 | We would get up early in the
morning to go steal car stereos.
|
| 00:13:22 | >> narrator: BUT SOON, T.C.B.
|
| 00:13:24 | Saw where the real money was:
Drugs.
|
| 00:13:30 | >> Some of the original guys,
they would focus more on selling
marijuana, cocaine.
|
| 00:13:34 | That was their thing.
|
| 00:13:35 | We had a guy that was probably,
like, 18, 19, and he already
had, like, two, three vehicles
and great systems, and this guy
was focusing on the drug thing.
|
| 00:13:50 | >> narrator: IN 1988, THE
Tri-city bombers began expanding
their drug trade, making inroads
with the mexican cartels.
|
| 00:14:01 | Choche martinez knew of
their reputation.
|
| 00:14:07 | >> You started hearing more
about the tri-city bombers,
how dangerous they were,
how they didn't care, you know.
|
| 00:14:13 | That's all you started hearing
as I was growing up.
|
| 00:14:17 | >> narrator: CHOCHE WAS SOON
Helping to run the gang's drug
operation.
|
| 00:14:23 | >> A lot of gangs, you know,
you--they claim a street or
claim a nghborhood.
|
| 00:14:27 | These guys actually claimed
three different cities:
Pharr, san juan, and alamo.
|
| 00:14:32 | So you had a lot of numbers.
|
| 00:14:33 | You had a lot of kids coming up
and wanting to join that gang.
|
| 00:14:38 | >> narrator: BY 1988, THEIR
Ranks had reached an estimated
300.
|
| 00:14:48 | >> It was just growing so fast.
|
| 00:14:49 | I was like, whoa.
|
| 00:14:51 | That was the main goal,
was to grow big in numbers
and spread out.
|
| 00:14:57 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers were now a powerful
street gang, and their exploits
were being noticed by one of
the state's most notorious
the texas
syndicate.
|
| 00:15:11 | >> They would hear about us,
you know, the things we were
capable of doing and all that.
|
| 00:15:15 | We had our respect.
|
| 00:15:17 | >> narrator: THE SYNDICATE TOOK
T.c.b. under its wing.
|
| 00:15:22 | >> If your gang doesn't exist
in prison, and the bombers at
that time didn't, you need
protection.
|
| 00:15:26 | I think the texas syndicate
saw something in them.
|
| 00:15:29 | I guess they saw that they
were--they were serious.
|
| 00:15:33 | >> narrator: BUT THE TEXAS
Syndicate's protection came at
a price.
|
| 00:15:38 | >> Any time that the texas
syndicate had a job to do,
they would send them.
|
| 00:15:43 | >> narrator: T.C.B. WAS ON ITS
Way to becoming a texas
powerhouse, but in 1989, a rift
between two of their leaders
forever changed the face of
the gang.
|
| 00:15:57 | The fight started over a woman.
|
| 00:16:05 | >> There's a couple of
different versions about this.
|
| 00:16:07 | One--one situation says there
was a girl that they both
wanted and got into a fight
about and separated because
of that.
|
| 00:16:15 | >> narrator: THE DISPUTE
Threatened the gang's existence.
|
| 00:16:20 | Anthony martinez, a gang
founder, was brought in to
mediate.
|
| 00:16:25 | >> We got them together,
and they had made peace,
but the peace was broken
later that day between them,
and the division started,
and it also started quickly,
and it eventually got carried
into the jail--prison.
|
| 00:16:39 | >> narrator: ONCE WORD OF A RIFT
Reached the county jail,
other complaints came out.
|
| 00:16:45 | soldiers
didn't like working under the
texas syndicate.
|
| 00:17:10 | >> narrator: THE GANG SPLIT.
|
| 00:17:11 | Half remained the tri-city
bombers.
|
| 00:17:15 | The other half renamed itself
"texas chicano brotherhood"
but kept the same initials.
|
| 00:17:22 | The reason for the new name
was simple.
|
| 00:17:25 | >> I spoke to hundreds of these
guys, and they told us,
"it sounds stupid,
but what choice did we have?
|
| 00:17:32 | ,
"
you know, so they came pretty
much texas chicano brotherhood.
|
| 00:17:40 | >> narrator: THE FORMER ALLIES
Showed one another no mercy,
and the war immediately
escalated.
|
| 00:17:47 | [gunshots]
>> Once it split up, everybody
became enemies.
|
| 00:17:51 | No matter if you're cousins.
|
| 00:17:53 | You can even be brothers.
|
| 00:17:54 | I've seen brothers that are--
one is chicano; the other's
a tri-city bomber,
and they become worst enemies.
|
| 00:18:01 | You know, I seen 'em--i seen
brothers drop brothers, cousins,
it is.
|
| 00:18:06 | Once it split up, it--it
really didn't mean nothing, you
know, blood running through your
veins, nothing.
|
| 00:18:12 | They didn't--they didn't care,
not anymore.
|
| 00:18:16 | >> narrator: EDDIE JOINED THE
Chicano brotherhood and started
to hunt down tri-city bombers.
|
| 00:18:22 | He was locked up in the county
jail for robbery when an enemy
fell into his lap.
|
| 00:18:29 | >> We found out that one of
the tri-city bombers came in.
|
| 00:18:33 | So as soon as we found out,
we didn't have to think
about it twice.
|
| 00:18:36 | We just said, "you know what?
|
| 00:18:37 | "
so as soon as I found out where
he was living at, I went to go
look for him, went in there,
and took care of business,
beating him up till leave him
mostly dead.
|
| 00:18:48 | >> narrator: WITH EVERY DROP OF
Blood, the war intensified.
|
| 00:18:53 | New recruits on both sides were
instilled with hatred.
|
| 00:18:56 | >> Where y'all going, man?
|
| 00:19:26 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers' membership grew
THROUGHOUT THE '90s.
|
| 00:19:32 | By 1997, the bombers decided
they no longer needed the
protection of the texas
syndicate.
|
| 00:19:39 | >> We decided, you know,
we're growing.
|
| 00:19:42 | We can--we can become our own
prison gang, our own family.
|
| 00:19:47 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers decided to earn the
respect of all the inmates.
|
| 00:19:54 | The word went out to all
bombers behind bars.
|
| 00:19:58 | >> To get rank, you had to
kill somebody.
|
| 00:20:00 | You have to get your--your
respect in that way, you know.
|
| 00:20:05 | >> narrator: SAL GAMEZ,
In prison on burglary charges,
accepted the challenge.
|
| 00:20:12 | >> All I can say, it was--
it was in prison, and it was--
it was a chicano, you know.
|
| 00:20:17 | That's--that's where I got my
respect back, and that's where
I got what I was at, you know.
|
| 00:20:23 | They knew I was down for it.
|
| 00:20:24 | They knew I had heart for them,
that I was willing to do
anything for them.
|
| 00:20:29 | >> narrator: THE BOMBERS EARNED
A reputation as one of the
baddest prison gangs in the
texas prison system.
|
| 00:20:36 | But the texas chicano
brotherhood was growing too,
and a showdown was inevitable.
|
| 00:20:45 | >> I mean, there's been murder
after murder after murder,
drive-by after drive-by,
and they have not stopped.
|
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| 00:24:54 | >> narrator: BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS,
Just five miles from the
mexican border.
|
| 00:25:01 | The tri-city bombers,
OR T.C.B.s, HAVE BUILT
A bloody reputation.
|
| 00:25:08 | Their war with the texas
chicano brotherhood is among
the most deadly in the country.
|
| 00:25:21 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers are some of the biggest
distributors in texas.
|
| 00:25:27 | >> Here anything less than 500
pounds or 1,000 pounds of
marijuana or 100 kilos of coke
is nothing.
|
| 00:25:35 | >> There's people bringing in
a lot, selling coke,
selling pounds a week.
|
| 00:25:40 | If you want to buy, let's say
a 20 or--well, there's what they
"
it's like a regular house.
|
| 00:25:52 | Just go and--they don't know
you, they're not gonna sell
you.
|
| 00:25:56 | But mostly they sell to
everybody.
|
| 00:26:00 | >> narrator: THEIR OPERATIONS
Stretch to dallas and as far
north as ohio, a the bombers
will even team up with other
gangs if the price is right.
|
| 00:26:12 | >> We had some tri-city bombers
up there that were living
up there.
|
| 00:26:16 | They would sell them up there
with the other gangs:
The crips, the bloods.
|
| 00:26:21 | >> narrator: THE GANG'S DRUGS
Come from mexico.
|
| 00:26:24 | While some are bought from the
cartels, other shipments are
stolen from their enemies:
The texas chicano brotherhood.
|
| 00:26:32 | >> And that's where we come in.
|
| 00:26:36 | >> narrator: SAL AND HIS FELLOW
Bombers use a tactic they call
"
>> you go in as a--as a cop,
and you take everything,
you know.
|
| 00:26:46 | You dress exactly, you know.
|
| 00:26:48 | There's even people who would
put on vests that says,
a "police," "sheriff," and stuff
like that.
|
| 00:26:54 | They go in.
|
| 00:26:54 | They go in just for one thing:
To get the money, the drugs,
and they're out of there.
|
| 00:26:59 | Don't matter if anybody gets
in the way.
|
| 00:27:05 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers target young recruits,
making it difficult for law
enforcement to know who gang
members are.
|
| 00:27:14 | >> We've documented about 500
adult tri-city bomber
gang members.
|
| 00:27:20 | Now, that's not including
juveniles; that would probably
bring the ranks up maybe to
close to 1,000.
|
| 00:27:27 | >> narrator: THE T.C.B.s CALL
"
>> esquina is when you just,
like, you know, you barely
starting.
|
| 00:27:40 | In other words, you're, like,
in a probation for a period
of time.
|
| 00:27:43 | You have to prove yourself.
|
| 00:27:46 | >> narrator: THE GANG'S
Structure has several layers.
|
| 00:27:50 | >> It starts off with president.
|
| 00:27:52 | There's a president, then
the vice president, then the
general, and then captain,
captain to sergeant, then
sergeant to carnale.
|
| 00:28:05 | >> narrator: BELOW THE CARNALES
Are the prospects, while at the
bottom are the esquinas.
|
| 00:28:12 | >> Those are the ones that do
the dirty work, theprospectos
and the esquina.
|
| 00:28:18 | >> narrator: NEW MEMBERS ARE
"
sal was 15 years old when
he took his beating.
|
| 00:28:29 | >> When they cliqued me in,
it took about--there was, like,
six of them.
|
| 00:28:32 | It was two minutes, but it
seemed like it was, like, more
than--it seemed like 20
minutes to me, you know.
|
| 00:28:40 | They were kicking you,
punching you, everything.
|
| 00:28:43 | You name it; they were doing it.
|
| 00:28:44 | But they wouldn't stop till
the one in charge would tell
"
>> narrator: FOR SAL, THE>> THIS IS WHAT
I was
looking for.
|
| 00:28:55 | They would show me love,
you know.
|
| 00:28:56 | They were down.
|
| 00:28:57 | They were willing to give up
their life for me, and I was
just willing to do the same.
|
| 00:29:02 | Everything was going good,
you know, the good life,
the fast--the fast life,
the money, the drugs,
the girls, the partying,
and mostly the fighting too,
everything.
|
| 00:29:16 | >> narrator: T.C.B.s REPRESENT
By flying red and black.
|
| 00:29:22 | Members are required to pay dues
and attend mandatory weekly
meetings where gang business
is discussed.
|
| 00:29:30 | >> If you're gonna to miss
a meeting, there has to be an
emergency reason.
|
| 00:29:34 | You have to be present in the
meetings.
|
| 00:29:37 | >> narrator: BREAKING THE RULES
Has serious risks.
|
| 00:29:42 | >> Disrespect us, you know,
you're disrespecting everybody.
|
| 00:29:45 | If you're a gang member,
of course, and if you did
something wrong, you--
we had court.
|
| 00:29:54 | >> narrator: COURT IS HELD WITH
A jury of gang peers.
|
| 00:29:58 | If a member is found guilty,
the punishment is usually
a beating.
|
| 00:30:05 | Second and third offenses bring
more severe punishment.
|
| 00:30:09 | >> If it's been three times,
you have to go do something
real serious, you know, to get
back your respect, like
go drop somebody, go kill
somebody, go anything.
|
| 00:30:19 | They name it.
|
| 00:30:20 | You have to go do it.
|
| 00:30:27 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers usually tag with their
letters: t.c.b.
|
| 00:30:34 | >> We're at the--currently at
the cemetery in the heart of
tri-city bomber territory.
|
| 00:30:38 | Over here you can see the gang
graffiti.
|
| 00:30:40 | You could see where they
outlined their initials for
"
>> narrator: THEY ALSO USE GANG
Symbols to mark their territory.
|
| 00:30:52 | One uses the gang's initials to
create a cherry bomb.
|
| 00:30:57 | >> Then also you got a cherry
on this side of the pillar,
you have a cherry bomb again.
|
| 00:31:03 | This identifies them as
tri-city bombers.
|
| 00:31:11 | >> narrator: THE LETTERS
" are also found in
their ink.
|
| 00:31:17 | >> "Bomber" on the back.
|
| 00:31:18 | "Tri-city" on the bottom
and the "tri-city" in the
background.
|
| 00:31:21 | He's also got the demon throwing
the tri-city bomber gang sign.
|
| 00:31:26 | >> narrator: SOME TATTOOS ARE
Reserved for old-school members
like sal.
|
| 00:31:32 | One is the classic 1939
"bomber" car.
|
| 00:31:37 | >> "39" Means the year of
the car, which is a symbol
of bombita.
|
| 00:31:42 | Instead of putting a "tri-city
bomber" or anything, we put
the number 39.
|
| 00:31:45 | But not anybody can get that.
|
| 00:31:48 | It's only certain people who
have been through stuff
can get that.
|
| 00:31:57 | >> narrator: THE T.C.B.s ALSO
Represent with hand signs.
|
| 00:32:02 | >> In the earlies, it was just
t.c.b. like this, you know.
|
| 00:32:04 | We would go like that.
|
| 00:32:05 | We would pass each other or see
each other from far away and
like this.
|
| 00:32:08 | That was basically the only
thing we would use, is t.c.b.
|
| 00:32:13 | >> narrator: THE HAND SIGN IS
The same one used by their
enemy, the texas chicano
brotherhood, but that's all
they share in common with their
hated rival.
|
| 00:32:24 | >> The hatred between these
two gangs is very deep.
|
| 00:32:27 | When they bump into each other,
if one of them stares or
whatever, you know, whatever
just, you know, says,
"
or whatever, they gonna--
something's gonna go down.
|
| 00:32:37 | >> narrator: IN JANUARY 2003,
The bad blood between the gangs
would boil over when a drug raid
took a deadly turn.
|
| 00:32:47 | >> Some of them were on their
knees when they were killed.
|
| 00:32:49 | Some of them were just lying
there with holes in their head.
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| 00:37:09 | >> narrator: FALL 2002,
South texas.
|
| 00:37:15 | The tri-city bombers and
the texas chicano brotherhood,
BOTH KNOWN AS THE T.C.B.s,
Were in a violent gang war,
battling for dominance.
|
| 00:37:28 | For the bombers, no crime was
too violent if it earned them
respect, including killing
innocent victims.
|
| 00:37:45 | September 5th.
|
| 00:37:46 | Donna, texas.
|
| 00:37:52 | Tri-city bomber "roach"
rodriguez suspected a local
waitress had witnessed him
shooting another gang member
outside a bar.
|
| 00:38:01 | The high-ranking bomber
ordered a green light.
|
| 00:38:09 | >> They found out that she was
gonna testify, and roach was
aware that she was gonna
testify, so then he ordered
a hit on her.
|
| 00:38:13 | The strange part about the
whole thing was, he ended up
pleading guilty,
and the hit ends up taking
place afterwards.
|
| 00:38:21 | >> narrator: SIX TRI-CITY
Bombers paed themselves
outside the waitress' workplace.
|
| 00:38:27 | >> The barmaids get off work,
and six of 'em all got into
that four-door car, and they
left the bar.
|
| 00:38:34 | >> narrator: THE GANG'S TARGET
Wasn't among them.
|
| 00:38:37 | >> One of the men even said,
"hey, she's not in there.
|
| 00:38:40 | She's not in that group.
|
| 00:38:41 | "
and the other guy said, "so?
|
| 00:38:43 | "
>> narrator: MINUTES LATER, THE
Waitresses pulled up to a motor
home.
|
| 00:38:53 | THE T.C.B.s, ARMED WITH
AK-47s AND TEC-9s, SURROUNDED
Their vehicles.
|
| 00:38:59 | [gunfire]
>> Before the women know what
hit them or were even able to
get out of the vehicle, they
just unloaded into the car.
|
| 00:39:06 | [rapid automatic gunfire]
And I believe we found
78 casings fired at the scene.
|
| 00:39:18 | >> narrator: FOUR OF THE SIX
Women were killed instantly.
|
| 00:39:23 | One was injured but survived.
|
| 00:39:27 | The sixth woman was unharmed
and spent the entire night
hiding underneath a trailer.
|
| 00:39:34 | None of the women were
gang-affiliated.
|
| 00:39:38 | >> It doesn't make any sense.
|
| 00:39:39 | Their lack of respect for any
kind of life is--amazes me.
|
| 00:39:48 | >> narrator: THREE MONTHS LATER,
The tri-city bombers would
strike again, this time,
against their most hated rival.
|
| 00:40:05 | January 2003,
edinburg, texas.
|
| 00:40:13 | Jorge "choche" martinez was
driving with seven other
tri-city bombers when he got
word about a possible score:
400 Pounds of marijuana kept at
a potential chicano stash house.
|
| 00:40:28 | >> A stash house is basically
just a shell of a house that
they gutted it from inside.
|
| 00:40:33 | Nobody's living in there,
but they usually have somebody
watching over it.
|
| 00:40:38 | >> narrator: THE BOMBERS ARMED
THEMSELVES WITH AK-47s.
|
| 00:40:43 | >> When you're gonna rob
a stash house, there's always
people in there that are gonna
fight back.
|
| 00:40:51 | It's their responsibility
to take care of anybody that
tries to rob them.
|
| 00:40:57 | >> narrator: CHOCHE AND THE
Others pulled up to the stash
house at midnight.
|
| 00:41:03 | Choche looked on from the
driver's seat as six gunmen
made their way to the front
door.
|
| 00:41:10 | >> Some of the guys that went
were trigger-happy.
|
| 00:41:14 | You can say the coldest guys
in the gang.
|
| 00:41:18 | At a very young age,
they had no heart.
|
| 00:41:22 | The best you can find, I guess,
to do a job.
|
| 00:41:28 | [banging at door]
>> narrator: THE GUNMEN BURST
Into the house to find six
people.
|
| 00:41:33 | [men shouting]
One of them was texas chicano
gangster jerry hidalgo, who was
talking on the phone with his
girlfriend.
|
| 00:41:47 | The others, including hidalgo's
mother, were not gang members.
|
| 00:41:53 | >> They subdue him, beat him
with a frying pan, tie him up
with an extension cord,
and his mother's there in
the residence.
|
| 00:42:00 | They tie her up with a extension
cord of a telephone line
and have her facedown on a couch
while they're beating her son.
|
| 00:42:09 | >> narrator: THEN AS HIDALGO'S
Mother lay nearby, the gunmen
took it further.
|
| 00:42:15 | >> They literally execute her
son with a--i believe
approximately 17 rounds from
an ak-47.
|
| 00:42:21 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers began searching for the
400 pounds of marijuana but
couldn't find it.
|
| 00:42:29 | >> They started asking questions
about the weed, and they said--
they kept saying that
it wasn't there.
|
| 00:42:38 | >> narrator: ENRAGED,
THE T.C.B.s TURNED ON THE FIVE
Remaining hostages.
|
| 00:42:44 | >> They just then proceeded to
kill everybody and assumed
that they were all texas
chicano brotherhood.
|
| 00:42:51 | >> I guess they got mad,
started killing everybody,
and what really made it look
worse, the victims was--
after they were dead, somebody
else came and sprayed 'em with
an a-k all over again.
|
| 00:43:12 | >> narrator: THE BOMBERS KILLED
All six men in the house.
|
| 00:43:18 | Only jerry hidalgo's mother
was spared.
|
| 00:43:22 | >> She'd been tied up, and they
either chose not to but more
likely just forgot about her
during all the excitement
of what happened.
|
| 00:43:32 | >> narrator: THE KILLERS FLED
The slaughter by jumping into
choche's getaway car.
|
| 00:43:37 | They showed no remorse.
|
| 00:43:40 | >> They said not a word
when they got in.
|
| 00:43:42 | Just looked back at them
and asked them if they were
okay.
|
| 00:43:46 | They said, "yes," and that's it.
|
| 00:43:54 | >> narrator: LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Immediately suspected the
tri-city bombers.
|
| 00:43:59 | >> The moment I knew who the
victims were, I knew who the
suspects were.
|
| 00:44:03 | It didn't take half a second
but to make the connection.
|
| 00:44:05 | It had to be the bombers.
|
| 00:44:08 | >> narrator: INVESTIGATORS BEGAN
Talking to witnesses, closing in
on the gang.
|
| 00:44:13 | >> That many people were
involved, somebody's gonna talk.
|
| 00:44:17 | Everybody must know about it.
|
| 00:44:18 | Everyone's talking about it.
|
| 00:44:21 | >> narrator: DETECTIVES BROUGHT
In one of the suspected
shooters.
|
| 00:44:25 | Under interrogation, he flipped,
ratting out his fellow bombers.
|
| 00:44:31 | 19 Days later, the sheriff's
department conducted a series
of early morning raids, netting
most of the suspects,
among them, choche martinez.
|
| 00:44:45 | >> By the time I got arrested,
they already knew everything.
|
| 00:44:47 | I was surprised that they
opened up.
|
| 00:44:50 | I was surprised that they
opened up.
|
| 00:44:54 | >> narrator: 13 INDICTMENTS
Were handed down, but two
suspects quickly fled to mexico,
where they remain fugitives.
|
| 00:45:05 | To avoid the death penalty,
choche martinez accepted
plea bargain resulting in
a life sentence.
|
| 00:45:13 | Nine other bombers were sent
to prison.
|
| 00:45:16 | Four remain on death row.
|
| 00:45:20 | The convictions earned the
tri-city bombers even more
respect.
|
| 00:45:25 | >> It gave them some juice on
the street, and people feared
them more.
|
| 00:45:29 | Those who wanted to become
bombers had more reason to
become bombers, because this
gang had the backbone to do
what they needed to do.
|
| 00:45:36 | You lose some members, because
people are going to jail,
but too, you gain notoriety,
you know?
|
| 00:45:42 | They were already notorious
but not like this.
|
| 00:45:44 | Not like this.
|
| 00:45:46 | >> narrator: THE CHICANOS
Weren't impressed and
immediately sought revenge.
|
| 00:45:52 | >> That rattled prison from,
you know, from here to--even
affected prison in other states.
|
| 00:45:58 | I mean, 'cause it was--
that happened so big, so fast,
so hard, that the green light to
kill any member on sight was on.
|
| 00:46:08 | adams
boston
is my favorite
because it has so much flavor.
|
| 00:46:11 | So I wanted to design a glass that would
enhance
the taste of boston lager.
|
| 00:46:17 | We did a laser etch on the bottom.
|
| 00:46:19 | It releases the hops aromas
this bulb is for collecting aromas.
|
| 00:46:22 | There's a little ridge on the inside.
|
| 00:46:24 | And that allows you to sense the hops
as it enters your mouth.
|
| 00:46:28 | The way this hits your tongue,
you really get the full flavor
out of sam adams lager.
|
| 00:46:32 | Having a boston lager in this glass
was like tasting a boston lager
>> narrator: IN 2003, THE
Tri-city bombers were in the
crosshairs of their hated
rivals, the texas chicano
brotherhood, over the killing
of jerry hidalgo and four
others.
|
| 00:50:21 | >> narrator: WORD OF THE MURDERS
Spread across texas, even inside
the prisons.
|
| 00:50:27 | >> It was popping up everywhere:
In prison, in county,
in the streets.
|
| 00:50:32 | Anywhere that you would see 'em,
you didn't even think about it
twice.
|
| 00:50:36 | >> narrator: THE NEWS EVENTUALLY
Reached eddie, who was serving
time for assault.
|
| 00:50:42 | >> I was in county.
|
| 00:50:43 | I was on my way to prison for
the second time, and I saw
a tri-city bomber, and I knew
him, and I had to--i had to take
care of the guy.
|
| 00:50:51 | And as soon as they took off
the handcuffs, I didn't even
think about it.
|
| 00:50:55 | And I had to get him.
|
| 00:51:03 | >> narrator: THE WAR BETWEEN THE
Tri-city bombers and the texas
chicano brotherhood is still
going strong with hatred
instilled in the new
generations.
|
| 00:51:39 | >> It's just skyrocketing.
|
| 00:51:40 | It's blowing out of proportion.
|
| 00:51:43 | So we're being very aggressive
right now in attempting to
quell a lot of this, the war
that's going on with the
chicanos and the tri-city
bombers, but I don't see it
slowing down.
|
| 00:51:53 | >> narrator: SOME GANG MEMBERS
Have lost the taste for blood.
|
| 00:51:58 | Eddie left the gang after
a decade as a chicano.
|
| 00:52:03 | >> That was what my life was
drugs and gangs
and jail.
|
| 00:52:06 | And that's where I'd probably
be right now.
|
| 00:52:08 | If it wasn't for jesus christ,
probably would've been dead
or would've been back in prison.
|
| 00:52:15 | >> narrator: JORGE "CHOCHE"
Martinez has a new perspective
ON THE T.C.B.s.
|
| 00:52:21 | >> When I was out there,
..
|
| 00:52:25 | I thought we were untouchable.
|
| 00:52:27 | I thought we can get away
with anything.
|
| 00:52:30 | We got away with a whole bunch
of murders.
|
| 00:52:33 | But there's nothing in a gang
but prison or death.
|
| 00:52:39 | All this other thing that's only
temporary; it's only fantasy.
|
| 00:52:44 | It's only for one day.
|
| 00:52:46 | The next day, it's all gone.
|
| 00:52:51 | >> narrator: THERE ARE PLENTY OF
Recruits to replace both choche
and eddie.
|
| 00:52:57 | >> Did we put a dent in them?
|
| 00:52:58 | For about two seconds.
|
| 00:53:00 | There were so many people ready
to take the place of anybody
we put away.
|
| 00:53:03 | That gang is probably 1/3 larger
now than it was then.
|
| 00:53:08 | It's increasing.
|
| 00:53:10 | >> narrator: THE TRI-CITY
Bombers continue to grow
and so does their willingness
to commit extreme violence.
|
| 00:53:18 | >> They're using hand grenades
now to combat their rival gangs.
|
| 00:53:24 | They're getting very ruthless.
|
| 00:53:26 | Nowadays, they're just shooting
at a house to kill one person.
|
| 00:53:29 | They ended up killing maybe
the brother, the sister of that
rival gang member.
|
| 00:53:35 | >> narrator: IN APRIL 2009,
Two ranking members of the
tri-city bombers raided a san
juan liquor store.
|
| 00:53:44 | As this surveillance video
shows, the bombers got what they
wanted, but that didn't stop
one of them from turning and
shooting the clerk.
|
| 00:53:53 | [gunshot]
The clerk barely survived,
and the gangsters were captured.
|
| 00:54:02 | But the tri-city bombers
continue to terrorize these
>> I think they're probably one
of the most dangerous gangs in
the state of texas.
|
| 00:54:13 | >> narrator: THAT DANGER EXTENDS
To those who try and walk away.
|
| 00:54:16 | [gunshot]
Sal gamez left the gang in 2005
after refusing to do a hit.
|
| 00:54:30 | Today he's a marked man with
a price on his head.
|
| 00:54:35 | >> They actually wanna drop me.
|
| 00:54:36 | They want to kill me.
|
| 00:54:37 | There's a green light on me.
|
| 00:54:40 | But the only thing I can do
is hide from them.
|
| 00:54:44 | That's what I've been doing,
you know?
|
| 00:54:46 | Right now, they're not really
too worried about me.
|
| 00:54:48 | They're worried about the
chicanos, you know?
|
| 00:54:51 | But if they had the chance,
they will do what they have to
do to me.
|
| 00:54:55 | They ain't gonna hesitate.
|
| 00:54:58 | >> They're so reckless.
|
| 00:54:59 | They don't care who they kill.
|
| 00:55:02 | They will kill people.
|
| 00:55:03 | They will slaughter them to
a degree that I haven't seen in
any other gang.
|
| 00:55:09 | >> I think they're already
passed the point of no return.
|
| 00:55:12 | They ain't stopping.
|
| 00:55:13 | Ain't nothing gonna stop them
no more.
|
| 00:55:28 | >> male narrator: THEY'RE
Terrorizing the south.
|
| 00:55:30 | >> That's where I started
getting crazy with the homies,
"
>> there's a lot of shootings,
a lot of bodies coming up
missing.
|
| 00:55:40 | >> narrator: A VICIOUS GANG
Holding the atl hostage.
|
| 00:55:44 | >> This is our territory.
|
| 00:55:45 | We claim this.
|
| 00:55:47 | >> narrator: THEY ARE SUR-13,
And in the 404,
the rules no longer apply.
|
| 00:55:54 | >> They ended up just killing
him in broad daylight.
|
| 00:55:58 | >> Family ain't got nothing to
do with it, you know?
|
| 00:56:01 | If you in it, you in it.
|
| 00:56:02 | We gonna blast you.
|
| 00:56:18 | >> narrator: ATLANTA, GEORGIA,
The pride of dixie, where
antebellum homes and the bible
belt mix with the hip-hop
lifestyle.
|
| 00:56:31 | census,
this sprawling city is the
fastest-growing metro area in
america over the last decade.
|
| 00:56:41 | >> Atlanta is a vibrant city
that has experienced tremendous
growth over the last
20 or so years.
|
| 00:56:49 | That growth has brought many
people from all over the
country and, in fact, all over
the world to this city to seek
a new and better life.
|
| 00:56:57 | >> narrator: MORE THAN 5 MILLION
People live in metropolitan
atlanta, but less than a million
live within the city limits.
|
| 00:57:07 | The result is an urban sprawl
that spans 28 counties.
|
| 00:57:14 | >> I think it would compare
a lot to, like, los angeles,
the way it's set up.
|
| 00:57:19 | Living within the city limits
is very expensive, and the taxes
are generally pretty high.
|
| 00:57:24 | So if people buy houses,
they tend to buy 'em out
in the suburbs.
|
| 00:57:30 | >> narrator: THIS GROWTH HAS
Made the city more vibrant,
but it's come with a price.
|
| 00:57:36 | >> Part of that growth as well
has been criminal street gangs,
attracted by many of the same
things that bring legitimate
citizens here.
|
| 00:57:48 | >> A lot of jurisdictions are
starting to realize that they
have a gang problem.
|
| 00:57:52 | I have probably identified
criminal activities within
100 different gangs in
the metro atlanta area.
|
| 00:57:57 | >>Sur trece.
|
| 00:57:58 | What's up?
|
| 00:57:59 | 1-3.
|
| 00:58:00 | >> narrator: STAKING THEIR CLAIM
As atlanta's most feared gang
is the infamous sur-13.
|
| 00:58:13 | >> I ain't got no love for no
other hood that don't claim
sureños,you know?
|
| 00:58:18 | Ain't nobody ever gonna come
around and dis our hood.
|
| 00:58:22 | >> Just know that when we come,
we gonna come hard at y'all.
|
| 00:58:26 | We ain't gonna fáááááá
just talk.
|
| 00:58:29 | >> narrator: THIS DEADLY
Hispanic gang has terrorized
atlanta with an army of loyal
soldiers.
|
| 00:58:37 | Also known as thesureños,
they're over 2,000
members strong.
|
| 00:58:42 | >> Sur-13 is the largest
hispanic gang that we have.
|
| 00:58:46 | Because of their ruthless
|
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