Two Six

This history was updated 1/4/26

The origin

The original Two Six came about in the Little Village community at a time when gangs were becoming a bigger deal in the neighborhood. Hispanic migration greatly increased in the early to mid-60s in Little Village and a quick racial clash brought a group that defended the growing Mexican community in Little Village, this group would later become part of the original Little Village Latin Kings. By 1966, Little Village was full of gangs and this was the world the original Two Six were in as young boys.

In the year 1968, the boys began hanging out outside of McCormick Elementary (2712 S Sawyer Ave, Chicago, IL 60623) at 27^th and Sawyer which is where they went to school. The boys were age 12-13 years old and they formed a baseball team that I heard was called “Five Stair Step” which was also a popular Soul band from Chicago. Some of these boys joined the Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords, but when they got together the gang affiliation was set aside. Some of these guys were original pee wee Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords.

The Two Six Boys of 1970

In the year 1970, Ambrose moved into the neighborhood and began congregating at 24^th and Sawyer. Ambrose had a severe rivalry with Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords and at the time Ridgeway Lords and Latin Kings were tight allies. There were now about 20 boys gathered at 26^th and Sawyer mostly between the age of 14-15 years old. There was a Jack N the Box fast food restaurant and a bar the guys hung out in front of daily. It was because they hung out on 26^th Street so much that Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords started calling them “Twenty Sixth Street Boys” or something similar to that.

Ambrose and these boys from 26^th Street hung out a lot because they had blood family ties but neighborhood Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords didn’t like it and started causing trouble with the boys even though there were members of each gang within the Twenty Sixth Street boys. The boys that had the gang affiliation dropped out of their respective gangs in 1970 because they chose more loyalty to 26^th and Sawyer.

By Thanksgiving of the year 1970, “Crazy Dave” and two others became tasked with coming up with a name for their group because now this just got deeper and they committed to each other and any gang affiliation they had was getting dropped which showed serious commitment. “Big Wolf” was a member of the Ridgeway Lords and he was now willing to part ways and become a main member of this new club. Carmelo was willing to lead the group and was the guy that put it together when he was 15 years old. Crazy Dave and the others chose to name themselves after the street they appeared on so often and to take some of the nickname the Kings and RLs gave them as Twenty Sixth Streets Boys or “Two Six Boys.” The main name was now “Two Six Boys,” but there would be no colors, sweaters, gang signs or graffiti, this was to be a low profile club. When it came to gangbanging the original Two Six mainly fought Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords and their main ally was Ambrose.

Some original Two Six members were, Crazy Dave, Carmelo, Big Wolf, Big Jose, Smiley, Black Rudy, Gary Woods, Bernie, Rosalio, the Benavidas brothers, Bobby albedano, Roy, Trent (first African American member), Mando, Rick Potempa, Big Louie, Frank Nitti, Jap, Tito, Stretch, and Chewy.

The origin of K-Town Two Six

In the late part of the year 1973, Chewy and possibly others that had moved to the K-Town area of Little Village which was in Ridgeway Lord neighborhood. The Ridgeway Lords were still deep back then and were still growing. The original Two Six had to fight their way to get in and out of 26^th and Sawyer because Latin Kings dominated the whole surrounding area besides a little pocket of Ambrose and the Sin City Boys. Now some Two Six were living in the heart of Ridgeway Lord neighborhood. It started with Chewy recruiting at Gary Elementary School at 31^st and Lawndale at the end of 1973.

By 1974, there was an established group of Two Six at 31^st and Lawndale and they were going at it with Ridgeway Lords. Tyrone Ayala, from the notorious Ayala family became an early member of the K-Town Two Sixs in the mid-70s.

The Ayala family

Alfonso Ayala Senior was born in 1932 possibly in Mexico. Alfonso Ayala Senior eventually became part of the Mexican drug cartel and moved to the United States, I am not sure when he moved to Chicago. In the later 1950s Alfonso was a married man and began having a family, this is when his oldest son Tyrone was born. At some point the Ayala family moved to Little Village and Alfonso opened a clothing store called “Alfonso and Elias” at 26^th and Kedvale in K-Town. The store had a wide variety of khaki pants and jewelry and there was an upstairs area where Alfonso could hold meetings. When the kids grew older they began having meetings in the upstairs area in the attic.

Tyrone Ayala joined with the original Two Six, but I am not sure when he joined but it may have been 1974. Alfonso Ayala Junior and David Ayala were the next to oldest or second youngest boy and he would both join in 1977, Alfonso was 16 and David was 14 years old when they joined. The youngest Ayala brother Joey, would eventually join.

The Ayala boys were a great add on for Two Six because they were from a Cartel family and Alfonso Senior supported their membership. The Ayalas were from K-Town and they would begin building the K-Town faction in 1974 starting with Jerome Ayala.

K-Town Two Six

In the year 1975, the recruitment of Two Six in K-Town became highly successful. The oldest members of Two Six were mostly at 26^th and Sawyer and they now hung out at the Sugar Lounge bar at 26^th and Sawyer. Even though the originals were as old as 20 years old at the time they were still active. By 1975, Tyrone Ayala was certainly a member and became a founding member of Two Sixs in K-Town when it was fully active by 1975.

It was on the streets of K-Town where the Two Sixs developed “Insane” Concepts. Prior to using “Insane,” Two Six went by “Almighty” Two Six but back in the early and mid-70s “Almighty” had no hidden meaning and gangs all over Chicago used that moniker to pump up their name and reputation. The “Insane” concepts were shared with the Satan Disciples eventually but I am not sure who came up with it, but in 1976, Satan Disciples and Two Six were hanging out with Ambrose and the Two Two Boys. When the Two Two Boys first started “Insane” would eventually be used by Two Six, Two Two Boys and Satan Disciples.

The naming of K-Town Two Six was taken from the fact they lived in the K-Town area of Chicago along many streets that started with “K.” These original Two Sixs battled Ridgeway Lords for K-Town and their allies the Latin Kings at the same time. K-Town Two Six was battling K-Town Ridgeway Lords and 31^st and Drake (Drakeside) Latin Kings and they would team up against Two Six.

At the end of 1976 and beginning of 1977 the Ridgeway Lords and Latin Kings went to war ending a decade long alliance. The war was very damaging for Ridgeway Lords but it did not faze the Latin Kings. Once that war began Two Six began to easily flip Ridgeway Lords and their territory in K-Town and by 1977 K-Town Two Six was becoming real deep.

Teddy “Sweet Wine” Ordonez

Theodore (Teddy) “Sweet Wine” Ordonez was born in 1951 and came from the far southeast side of Chicago in the South Chicago neighborhood. By the late 60s, Mexican migration to South Chicago brought on racial conflict and white flight. A revolutionary type of gang formed in South Chicago called “The Bush” who stood up to racism and the racist police. Teddy Ordonez joined The Bush and was a prominent member. There has been two early 70s color photos of Sweet Wine surrounded by his fellow Bush members. One legend that has been passed around is the story of how Ordonez fought at least a half dozen Chicago cops and was getting the better of them until he was finally arrested. Whether this story is true or not, one thing that is not fiction is how Ordonez was a bad ass and was known for that, I even talked to south side Insane Popes from the 70s about him and they could attest that Sweetwine was a bad ass. Even when the Popes pointed guns at Sweet Wine he didn’t back down.

Sweet Wine eventually fell in love with Martha Ayala and married her, this is how Ordonez got hooked up with the Ayala family in 1975 and by 1976 at latest Ordonez relocated to K-Town to live near his wife’s family. Teddy Ordonez had just married Alfonso Ayala Senior’s Niece. Ordonez worked with the Cartel and was a collector of debts for the Cartel. Ordonez was born into this lifestyle and he was part of the notorious Montemayor Cartel family that controlled the drug pipeline between Texas and Chicago and Texas and Mexico; this is the origin of how Two Six has always had a strong connection to the state of Texas. The Montemayors specialized in heroin and they established the west side of Chicago heroin connection in the early 70s. Ordonez got around the city and in Cicero he often hung out in some bars which pissed off Arch Dukes and Noble Knights. Some of the toughest Arch Dukes and Noble Knights confronted Ordonez but when they did they were the ones that ended up bleeding. Ordonez visited the Midway area and Insane Popes tried to chase him out but it didn’t work, there was no stopping Sweet Wine, he was just bad to the bone and moved around the city as he pleased.

Sweet Wine especially hung out with Big Louie of the Two Sixs. Through big Louie and Tyrone Ayala Sweet Wine was introduced to Jap, Crazy Dave, Tito, Smiley, Frank Nitti, Chewy and Stretch and this became Ordonez’ crew, Ordonez would then join Two Six.

1977: The new era

In the year 1977, Carmelo was 22 years old and ready for retirement. 26^th and Sawyer was falling apart at that time anyway and most of the support for the Two Six nation was centered in K-Town now. Carmelo handed the nation to the Ayala boys and Sweetwine in 1977 and this began a new chapter. Sweet Wine was 26 years old at the time and he led the guys that were older while Alfonso Ayala Junior was to lead the younger Two Six or “Tiny Two Six” even though Alfonso had just joined Two Six in 1977.

Alfonso Ayala Junior was 16 years old in 1977 and because of him and his brothers the Two Sixs now established colors of black and beige. Beige was a perfect color for Two Six because they had access to an abundance of khaki pants from the Alfonso and Elias store. A dice with a “two” and a “six” showing became a Two Six symbol and a playboy bunny became another. Two Six now began tagging and developed a hand sign, it became clear that Two Six was now a full fledged gang.

Two Six now was supported by Alfonso Ayala Senior with all the access to guns they needed along with involvement with the drug trade for financial support. Two Sixs now met more often at Alfonso and Elias on the second floor that had guards upstairs that carried guns. The Two Sixs had connections to the Cartel not only through the Ayalas but also through the Montemayors with Montemayors members such as: Matias Montemayor, Benito Montemayor, Meynardo Montemayor and Manuel Montemayor who were Cartel leaders in Chicago in the 70s. Ridgeway Lords and Latin Kings were caught off guard when Two Six came out blasting guns at them, this is how Two Six began to dominate K-Town and wrestle it away from Ridgeway Lords.

David Ayala joined Two Six in K-Town at the age of 14 and he was already following in his older brother’s footsteps as a leader and co-founder of this new era. This is why David Ayala A.K.A “EL Jefe” is often thought of as the founder of Two Six which is only somewhat true, he was part of the foundation of the new era but not an original Two Six founder, Ayala was part of the development of Two Six.

Two Sixs ran into other rivalries in the area including vicious wars with Morgan Deuces, Latin Kings, Ridgeway Lords and Artistic Kents.  Two Six did ally up with Sin City Boys and even flipped some of their members into Two Six.

Two Sixs would also gain a stronghold in K-Town by 1977 because the Ayala family store was always in K-Town and the Ayala’s were respected. The Ridgeway Lords were now engaged in a devastating war with Latin Kings as of 1977 and now Ridgeway Lords and Latin Kings would no longer team up against Two Six. The Two Sixs then made the streets of K-Town much more unfriendly for the Ridgeway lords now that Two Six was hitting them hard. Some more members of the Ridgeway Lords began to flip to Two Six starting in 1977 and K-Town kept growing.

Tyrone Ayala was also a leader in K-Town alongside his brothers but Tyrone Ayala was older and more in with Sweetwine’s group. Tyrone Ayala and Sweetwine were money makers in the late 70s.

Tiny Two Six

In 1977, Two Six was divided into two generations. The young guys were more referred to as “Tiny Two Six”. This group would become the first official younger generation of Two Six. Tiny Two Six consisted of: Butler, Shy, PR, Lil AL (Alfonso Ayala Junior), Rabbit, Sal, Sin, Lil fish, Crazy Tony, Demon, Lil demon, David Ayala and Javi. Tiny Two Six formed at 30^th and Sawyer then they spread west ward toward Gary School and they colonized this area just north of the Drakeside Latin Kings. Tiny Two Six fought Ridgeway Lords and Latin Kings until they connected into K-Town. This was done as 26^th and Sawyer became evacuated.

Chi Town Two Six

In the year 1977, Two Six also opened up the “Chi-Town Two Six” branch right after K-Town opened in the area of Little Village bounded by: 23rd Street on the north, 33rd Street on the south, Hamlin Avenue on the east and Pulaski Road on the west. This section was right next to K-Town Two Six divided by Pulaski Road. Chi Town Two Six is still very active presently.

The Albany Gangster Two Six Boys

Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood was once home to Polish, Lithuanian and Italian people that were often employed in the steel industry. The Central Manufacturing District once employed many from Brighton Park and this community was a middle class and working class community. Since the early 1960s Mexican families had tried to live in the northern part of Brighton Park but avoiding racism was impossible. In the early 60s, this northern area of the neighborhood between Kedzie Avenue and California Avenue and from Pershing to 37th Street began being called “Little Mexico” by locals.

Brighton Park had lots of greaser gangs in the early 60s and many of them challenged youths in Little Mexico; therefore, the young men of Little Mexico started to call themselves “Little Mexico” and this group fought white gangs for most of the 60s. In the late 60s Little Mexico was inherited by the Latin Lords and Young Savages.

In the year 1977, Alfonso Ayala Junior had just joined Two Six and he was already being relocated by his family to the Brighton Park community to Little Mexico at 38th and Albany. As soon as Ayala arrived he started the “Albany Two Six Boys.” Other original Albany Two Sixs were Weed, Slim, Spike, and Lil Pantera. This Two Six group became large very quickly. 38^th and Albany was the first branch of Two Six outside of Little Village which makes this hood historic for the Two Sixs.

The Hispanic community in the north in Brighton Park grew significantly in the Little Mexico area and spread to Western Avenue and up to 35th Street beginning in 1977. Satan Disciples and Latin Kings moved into the area and the Latin Kings were an instant rival of the Albany Two Six. Two Six also had a rivalry with the “Heads” or “Southside Heads” that were from southern Brighton Park but the Heads were still an enemy because they highly opposed a mostly Hispanic gang from another neighborhood being anywhere in Brighton Park, but the Heads had a hard time dealing with the fighting force of the Albany Two Six. Latin Kings proved to be no match for Albany Two Six and the leader of these Latin Kings “Little Wolf” was killed by Albany Two Six in 1979. After Little Wolf’s death this 38th and Washtenaw Latin Kings group went extinct in 1979.

It was at 38^th and Albany where the term “Gangster Two Six” first took form. This was coined by Alfonso Ayala Junior in the late 70s and only Albany Two Six was “Gangster Two Six” at first. The whole Two Six nation was still “Insane Two Six” but these Albany Two Six Boys were “Gangster.”

When the Satan Disciples first started in Brighton Park the two groups was mostly allied, some conflicts would arise at times. In the year 1982, the Brighton Park Satan Disciples were fully established in the former Latin King area and this caused a shooting to go down when two brothers who were both Satan Disciples killed a Two Six leader. By the mid-late 1980s Two Six and Satan Disciples have been bitter rivals since then and each gang runs the largest areas of Brighton Park, both gangs are the biggest in Brighton Park. Two Sixs battled Insane Popes, who replaced most of the Heads from the mid-80s until the early 2000s. Two Sixs were responsible for some gangs to not last long like Saints, Latin Counts, Bishops, Almighty Popes, La Raza, Taylor Jousters and Latin Kings.

Two Sixs would eventually spread to the 46th and Kedzie area in 1985 when Hispanic migration grew into the southern area of Brighton Park. Satan Disciples would also heavily colonize southern Brighton Park and by then both gangs were rivals to each other, the Folk alliance did nothing to keep these two as allies. The Two Sixs would prove they did not need the Satan Disciples because they have survived in the Brighton Park community into recent years. These Two Sixs did not branch from 38th, they branched from 28^th and Hamlin from the Chi Town Two Six group.

63^rd & Homan

In the year 1977, Joe Cool, Morty, Fidel, and the Altice brothers moved out of Little Village and moved to the area around 63^rd Street and Homan Avenue in the Marquette Park neighborhood. In the late 70s Marquette Park was a vast majority white neighborhood with some Arabs. Many people in Marquette Park wanted to keep the community white and some were willing to get violent over the issue. Marquette Park also had white gangs that wanted to keep the community white and for the Hispanic families moving to Marquette Park in the mid-70s they faced discrimination and some violence from white gangs or groups of whites. The Hispanic youths had the hardest time in the community especially in the schools. Marquette Park had a rather large chapter of the Ku Klux Klan operating in the neighborhood since the mid-60s until the early 90s and by the late 70s they were going strong. Some white gangs hung out with KKK members and other Nazi groups. Two Six was put together at 63^rd and Homan and one of their earliest enemies was racist white groups. The white gangs could not eradicate Two Six and the Two Sixs are still highly active in this area in recent years. This section would eventually grow to be between Central Park Avenue to Spaulding Avenue and from 63^rd to 65^th. In later years a group of Two Six branched off 63^rd onto 66^th and Mozart known as “Murda Town.”

These Two Sixs were heavy hitters and when the white gangs left in the late 80s Two Six was battling Ambrose in the neighborhood then eventually Latin Kings and Satan Disciples in the early 90s. 63^rd Street Two Sixs always stood their ground against all these rivals and have lasted a long time in Marquette Park because of it.

War with Villa Lobos

In the 1970s, the Villa Lobos were not a very large group in Little Village but by the 1980s the Villa Lobos were the second largest People alliance gang in Little Village until the early 90s; therefore, this war is important.

Two Six and Villa Lobos used to be allies or at least at peace and able to have beers with each other. In the year 1977 Two Sixs asked the Villa Lobos if they would like to flip to Two Six, the offer was declined and they remained allies. Some time later in the year the Two Sixs approached the Villa Lobos again and asked them to join a second time, when the Villa Lobos declined the second time Two Six came out of the alley ways nearby with guns shooting at the Villa Lobos, this started a war. The war with Two Six was always hard on the Villa Lobos throughout the 80s and once the Ridgeway Lords left all of K-Town to the Two Sixs in the late 80s the Two Sixs grew heavily in size to rule nearly half of Little Village and the Villa Lobos began to decline until they mostly went inactive in the neighborhood by the later 90s.

The cooperation of the Harrison Gents

The Harrison Gents of Harrison and Western came to Little Village in the year 1966 during a second wave of Mexican and Puerto Rican people relocated by displacement. The Harrison Gents were once a significant part of Little Village along 26^th Street for over a decade. In 1977, when Two Six began a new era they offered the Harrison Gents membership, much of the gang accepted and the Harrison Gents ceased to exist in Little Village, this flipping is another reason Two Six began to grow in 1977.

Relations with Sin City Boys

The Sin City Boys of 27^th Street were founded in 1966 in response to Latin Kings, Morgan Deuces and Ridgeway Lords forming in Little Village. When Two Sixs were founded in the 70s they found comradery with Sin City Boys. Beginning in about 1977 Sin City Boys began flipping to Two Sixs and this would happen for a decade and half until the rest of the Sin City Boys moved to Cicero in 1992 or flipped Two Six.

59^th & Rockwell

In 1979, some Two Six from 63^rd Street recruited at 59^th and Rockwell along the Marquette Park/Gage Park border and before long 59^th had its own branch. When Two Six was starting at 59^th Street in the late 70s they mainly fought against white gangs like the South Side Heads and some white supremacist groups. These Two Sixs were mainly a Gage Park group because they mostly expanded north bound between Kedzie and Western Avenue and from 57^th to 59^th Street. These Two Sixs are forgotten because there were no other Hispanic gangs in the area besides Ambrose from 63^rd and 59^th and Homan. Gage Park is mainly known for the Crown Town Latin Kings but these Two Sixs were around before Crown Town. Two Sixs from 59^th battled Insane Popes when they started in the area in the mid-80s.

59^th and Rockwell Two Six was not known about widely until 1988 when a new wave of gangs started in the Gage Park area. In the early 90s Two Sixs of 59^th were still going strong and now battling Crown Town Latin Kings and Ambrose. In 1994 Two Six left 59^th and Rockwell area and their land was divided by Satan Disciples, Party People and Gangster Disciples. Some say Two Six got flushed out of the area because of other gangs, this is not true, Two Sixs left because they moved west along 63^rd Street nearer to their hood at 63^rd and Central. Two Six made business deals with the Gangster Disciples and Party People to give up their land; therefore, no one “ran them out.”

The death of Alfonso Ayala Junior

On Friday, August 31, 1979 it was the first day of the Labor Day weekend and the weather was hot at 84 degrees with high humidity. Alfonso Ayala Junior and his friends were invited to a party held by the “Hamlin Party People” in the Little Village neighborhood at 25^th and Hamlin. A car with Latin Kings drove past and spotted Ayala, the Latin Kings then shot him to death on that porch. Alfonso “Capone” “Lil Al” “Pancho” Ayala Junior died at the age of 18. Ayala’s death made the Two Sixs so enraged that they killed many Latin Kings for years to come after Ayala’s death. Ayala’s death might be the reason why Two Six went to war with Hamlin Party People.

TSD, LTD and 226

In the year 1979, Two Six and Satan Disciples became close allies and both were considered Folks. This began outside of Gary School now that Satan Disciples were moving into the area. This coming together was called “Two Six Disciples” or “TSD.” This alliance lasted until late in the year 1986.

In 1979 or 1980 Ridgeway Lords wanted peace with Two Sixs and Satan Disciples. The war with Latin Kings that began in 1976 was becoming tolling on the Ridgeway Lords that were once the second largest gang in Little Village. Since that war began issues were cooling off between Ridgeway Lords and Satan Disciples. Ridgeway Lords and Satan Disciples had blood relations coming from the same families this helped Ridgeway Lords establish an alliance with Satan Disciples. In either 1979 or 1980 the Satan Disciples brought the Ridgeway Lords to Two Six so the war could be stopped and an alliance could be made. Ridgeway Lords were joining the Folks alliance because of the Satan Disciples. Two Six agreed to an alliance and this three way alliance was called “Lords Two Six and Disciples” or “LTD.” This alliance was strong until in ended in late 1986 when Two Six and Satan Disciples went to war.

When the Two Two Boys formed in 1976, the Two Two Boys were blood related to Satan Disciples, Ambrose, and Two Six. This caused all these groups to start hanging out and by the end of the 70s they became tight and all became Folks. Two Six and Two Two Boys had an alliance called “226” and they painted this on the walls until late 1986 when both gangs went to war with each other.

Latin Folks

In the year 1978, two big cliques consisting of members from several gangs on each side began forming in prison. One of the groups started to call themselves “Folks” in 1979 and the Two Sixs were part of this. In the year 1980, Folks became official behind bars. The Hispanic gangs that were Folks went to Larry Hoover in 1980 asking to govern their own Folks and call it “Latin Folks.” Two Six would be Latin Folks and they were pivotal in helping put Latin Folks together. From the south side, Two Six, Satan Disciples and Ambrose became very tight in the early and mid-80s.

26LRZN

When the La Raza gang started in 1980 they immediately found a bond with Two Six and the Two Sixs were the ones who guided La Raza into the Folk alliance. This alliance between them became known as “26LRZN” or “Two Six La Raza nation.” The Two gangs especially ran alongside each other in the Back of the Yard neighborhood. Besides some on an off wars, Two Six and La Raza are still allies but are no longer big on the 26LRZN thing.

Cicero Two Six

Before Alfonso Ayala Junior was killed in 1979, he envisioned Two Six opening a chapter in the suburb of Cicero. Shorty after sharing his vision of Cicero Al was killed. Starting in January of 1980 more real estate suddenly became available in Cicero because many white residents were fleeing due to the closure of multiple factories during this recession era. Housing became cheaper in Cicero and now struggling Hispanic families could now afford to live in the suburb. These lands were hostile for a large wave of Hispanic families and white gangs like Arch Dukes, Twelfth Street Players, Noble Knights and Park Boys were willing to hunt down any city elements they did not approve of. The Two Two Boys, Imperial Gangsters and Two Six all migrated into Cicero to oppose these white gangs and the three of them teamed up because they were all Folks. Latin Kings were growing into Cicero too but they ended up on the side of the white gangs and even coaxed them all into joining the People alliance.

David Ayala was now leading the younger Two Six after his brother was killed and he personally knew these streets of Cicero as did Sweet Wine. Two Six would fight intense gang warfare with the white gangs but they would survive all of their wrath. Two Six became tight with Imperial Gangsters and in 1989 they convinced the Cicero IGs to flip to Two Six. Two Six would eventually grow into the Parkholme apartments by the early 90s and would become one of the bigger gangs in Cicero.

Two Six survived multiple generations since 1980 and they battled Latin Kings, Twelfth Street Players, Noble Knights, Arch Dukes, Park Boys, Berwyn Greasers, Bishops, Latin Counts, Two Two Boys, Latin Angels, Satan Disciples, Insane Majestics, Gangster Disciples, Maniac Latin Disciples, Vice Lords and others over the decades but the Two Sixs could not be eliminated in Cicero and Cicero is the most successful Two Six suburban outpost.

47^th & Damen

The Back of the Yards neighborhood has been gangland since it was first formed in the later 1860s and by the 1950s some of the meanest white greaser gangs walked those streets and Mexican youths joined some of these gangs and co-founded them. By the later 60s the Saints would become the dominating gang and by the mid-70s they wiped out most of the other white gangs. In the year 1980, a sudden major Hispanic migration wave swept the northern part of the Back of the Yards that seemed overnight. Members of several gangs from other neighborhoods suddenly settled these streets and these gang members were not soft, they were straight killers and heavy hitters. This wave angered the Saints incredibly and they lashed out violently against the Satan Disciples, Latin Kings, Bishops, Two Two Boys and Latin Souls that moved near their neighborhood. A group of Two Six dared to move right next to the Saints are 47^th and Damen which is the border of Saint and Two Six hood, this was very risky.

1980-1982 were very tough years for the 47^th and Damen Two Six because not only were Saints coming at them, the Bishops and Latin Kings were also coming at them. Two Six claimed Folks and was the mob that turned the Latin Souls Folks but their alliance with the other Folks in Back of the Yards was not enough because they were heavily outnumbered by the Saints alone. Two Six had a stockpile of guns but not enough shooters to shoot them. In 1982, Two Six got a break when they made a deal with the Party Players for the Party Players to back them up in fights because the Party Players were a bigger outfit in exchange for Two Six providing the Players with lots of guns. Two Six handled the Saints for two years and could have kept going without the Party Players but having the Party Players in their corner just made life easier. At the end of 1988 Two Six went to war with Party Players and still remained strong. Eventually 47^th and Damen Two Six were at war with Latin Kings, Party Players, Saints, Bishops, Satan Disciples and Gangster Disciples but Two Six at 47^th could not be removed and are still active in present years.

1981

The year 1981 was an exceptionally bad year for the leadership of the Two Sixs and one would think the mob would have just gone extinct after three tragic events rocked this club. Instead of folding up, the Two Sixs only became stronger after 1981 but these events are to not be forgotten.

Alfonso Ayala Senior was a well connected heroin dealer strongly connected to the Mexican drug Cartels. Ayala raised two daughters and four sons in K-Town. Alfonso Ayala made the newspaper in late October of 1977 for getting caught with his cousin Ricardo trying to sell a football sized amount of heroin worth $3 million according to the Chicago Tribune October 26, 1977 article. At the time Ayala was 45 years old and he got away with the crime and did no prison time.

Alfonso Ayala mentored his sons and helped them put together the new era of Two Six in 1977. Before the new era Ayala allowed Tyrone Ayala and his friends to have Two Six meetings in the attic of Alfonso and Elias.

Alfonso Ayala got into business with C.W. Wilson one of the biggest heroin dealers on the west side of Chicago in the 70s and early 80s. C.W. Wilson ran prostitution rings and had a large drug empire and he did business with Alfonso “Big Al” Ayala. By the beginning on 1981, C.W. Wilson owed Ayala a significant amount of money that Wilson very well could have paid for but chose not to. Wilson was notoriously involved in the “Marquette 10” corrupt police scandal where Wilson indicated he had these 10 Chicago police officers working for him in 1980.

Instead of paying Ayala the money he owed C.W. Wilson sent Clayton Rockman and another associate to Bonnie’s Tavern at 2701 S. Karlov (27^th and Karlov) on January 25, 1981, the day the Oakland Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Superbowl and they knew Ayala would be there to watch the game. Rockton and his associate pulled up to the corner hanging out in the car which alerted a local resident according to the court case of People vs. Rockman. The resident likely got suspicious because the men were watching the bar and were black in a Mexican neighborhood. According to the court documents the two black males entered Bonnie’s Tavern through different doors, one through the side door and one through the front door, Clayton Rockman asked the bar tender where the bathroom was, a very short time later Rockman and the other man started shooting as they gunned down Alfonso Ayala then fled out the side door.  Rockman was later arrested and convicted of the murder; he is still in prison for the crime (People vs. Rockman, 1986). Bonnie’s Tavern closed after the shooting and never reopened. The death of both Alfonso Ayala Junior and Senior was devastating on the Ayala family.

On September 23, 1981, Teddy “Sweetwine” Ordonez was shot to death in a gang related shooting, Ordonez was 30 years old.

I am not clear on the exactly who in the Ayala family purchased a large home in the suburb of Westchester but by 1981 David Ayala was living in the home at the age of 18 and was likely the one who bought the house. After Alfonso Senior was killed, David’s mother left the city and moved to Woodridge and David Ayala wanted to be closer to his mother. At some point David Ayala bought a mansion in the suburb of Westchester that had 5 bedrooms, a greenhouse, a full bar in the basement, an outdoor pool, a small gym, a pinball machine and jukebox according to a November 18, 1981 UPI article. Ayala even had personal plates that read “El Hefe” on his Buick Electra. The home was purchased for $160,000 which was a shitload of money for 1981. This wealth was acquired from his father’s large inheritance but also through countless drug sales David was involved in.

In the newspapers and court documents David Ayala allegedly held a meeting at his suburban home on August 16, 1981 in Westchester, IL discussing a perfect attempt to wipe out Latin Kings.  The discussion led to a sighting of Latin Kings at Piotrowski Park at  4247 W 31st St (31st and and Keeler to Karlov) located in the Little Village neighborhood.  According to court documents Ayala then loaded the van that he owned with a shotgun, machine gun, a rifle and a pistol and Ruben Palomo and James Soto headed to the park where a baseball game was being held under orders from “El Jefe.”  When they arrived at the park, they parked the van in an alley behind the park.  The two shooters then got out and stormed the park firing several bullets into the crowd striking 3 people, two of them died (People vs. Ayala).  Unfortunately the two that died were not members of the Latin Kings but the one that was wounded was indeed a Latin King gang member.  By October 1981 Ayala was arrested then convicted of the murders in 1983 and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. These are what the courts and the papers say happened back in 1981 but this ended up not being totally true and this is why Ayala was let out of prison in 2023.  On the day the shooting happened, the court documents said a meeting was held in the basement directed by David Ayala to go out and kill Latin Kings; however, the actual shooters never attended that meeting and were upstairs with Sweetwine a month before Sweetwine was killed. The police coerced members of the gang into admitting the meeting took place or they would receive the death penalty. The reality came to light in 2023 that the shooters acted alone and were under no orders but got too overzealous thinking they were supposed to kill. David Ayala and his cousin Jimmy Soto were exonerated, but over 40 years of their lives were lost and David Ayala even did hard time in supermax.

Tyrone Ayala

Tyrone Ayala was the first Ayala brother to join Two Six with the older original Two Six group. Tyrone was pivotal in getting K-Town Two Six started in the mid-70s and he was a key player in the organization. Tyrone was arrested and charged with a connection to the murders that happened in 1981 but he was later released and charges were withdrawn. Ayala decided the gang life was enough after his father and brother were killed and his other brother was going to prison for a long time. Tyrone left Two Six and Chicago and moved to Texas, he never got involved with Two Six operations again starting in 1981.

David “El Jefe” Ayala

Even though David Ayala was wrongfully convicted in 1983 he was still the leader of Two Six and would continue to run the mob from behind bars until he officially stepped down in 1996. Ayala was once one of the heads of the Latin Folks and he even kept company with Larry Hoover and several other big time gang leaders. I remembered hearing about him growing up in the Joliet area suburbs in the 90s as I had friends and acquaintances that were members of Romeoville Two Six and they talked about David Ayala. Ayala was not only a feared gangster he was also highly respected and a good leader for the Folks. Several photos have surfaced of David Ayala behind bars from the 80s and 90s showing him with some of the biggest hitters of the Folk gangs.

After David Ayala stepped down in 1996 he was sent to Tamms Supermax prison in 1998 (8500 Supermax Rd in Tamms, IL) which was rather shocking considering he had just backed out of leadership and active status in the Two Sixs. The city of Chicago and law enforcement in the 1980s and 1990s had been notoriously been known for hastily and illegally locking up gang leaders or any guys within the various organizations of Chicago.  In the David Ayala case He was provided an attorney right off the bat that was sloppy, lazy and flat out didn’t like David.  This attorney had no passion as he worked with many gang members and was perhaps burnt out from it or judgment grew within him.  The other attorney on the case failed as well.  Despite having credible witnesses to testify on his behalf the courts still found him guilty.  Back in the 1990s federal law enforcement along with Illinois law enforcement became extra eager to lock up gang leaders further and keep them away from other prisoners and outside society as much as possible. This was an overzealous method authorities used to further punish men they deemed as gang leaders and to inform the public it was a way to crush the gang more. Instead this not only took away gang leaders that kept a lot of guys in line and reduced violence, it also destroyed these men mentally as they were deprived of the world all day every day seeing very little day light, fresh air and human contact.

The shooting incident in August of 1981 sparked a great public outcry by the residents in the predominately Mexican-American community, who were tired of the senseless gang violence. Public demonstrations demanding the arrest of those responsible for the murders put tremendous pressure on the police as well as the politicians running in the Chicago Mayoral election that year, this is why they eagerly targeted David Ayala.

In the words of David Ayala when he was looking into getting released and pleading his case, “Boys of 15, 16, and 17 were detained without the due process of having their parents present and/or legal representation to protect their lawful civil rights. It was through this wide and general sweep and unlawful abusive interrogations, coercion and torture of the Latino youth of that area that ultimately led to the apprehension and arrest of 17-year-old Wally “Gator” Cruz, who without the benefit of his parents or a lawyer to safeguard his rights, confessed to a fabricated story of events that implicated me and my cousin James Soto, as well as Ruben Palomo as the perpetrators of this crime. “Gator” immediately secured a Witness Agreement deal with the Chicago State’s Attorney for himself. And despite clear evidence of our innocence, including sworn affidavits from those implicated as “involved” attesting to this — some made by the actual intended targets of this shooting as individuals formerly members of a gang — and the fact that I was not at the scene nor did I know anything about the shooting until I saw it on the TV news later that night, a jury found me and James Soto guilty of the charges based solely on the false testimony of Wally “Gator” Cruz. James Soto and I were sentenced to natural life sentences with no possibility of parole ever. Ruben Palomo had a separate trial and was found both innocent and guilty of these charges and has long since been released.”

An article came out in 2009 making David look crazy as one of his activities was feeding spiders and insects.  That belief that he went nuts is not true but what is true is that treatment at Tamms for prisoners was beyond horrific and the cut off of human contact was terrible on the minds of prisoners there.  Feeding spiders is a healthy outlet and there isn’t much else to do especially when human contact was non-existent. This is why the prison was shuttered in 2013. David Ayala was exonerated in 2023 after being denied parole twice, exoneration cleared his name.

Darkside Two Six

In about 1981 or 1982 a group of K-Town Two Six started gathering independently at 24^th or 24^th Place and Keeler and began calling themselves “K-Town Two Fours.” K-Town Two Fours spread into the general area of Kostner to Pulaski and 24^th Street to 26^th Street. Many of these Two Fours started to go in their own direction. Some legends say it was during a power outage that lasted for days or it was because these Two Sixs often shattered street lights to darken the streets that brought about the name “Darkside Two Six.” In 1983 Star Wars: The Last Jedi came out in theaters and the Atlantic Theater was right outside of Darkside Two Six neighborhood near 26^th and Harding and that theater used to play the Star Wars movies in the early 80s. Legend has it Darkside Two Six was also named after the villains in the new Star Wars movie that came out in 1983. Some of the K-Town Two Six in the 24^th and Keeler area did not join Darkside Two Six and remained K-Town Two Six. These boundaries remain in tact in present years. Darkside Two Six has always been known as a legendary group of Two Six with many gunners and hard core members.

War with Satan Disciples, Ambrose and Two Two Boys

The date November 7, 1986 would bring an end to the “226” (Two Two Boy and Two Six) alliance, LTD (Lords Two Six and Disciples) alliance and the Ambrose and Two Six alliance forever.  On that day 28^th and Hamlin Two Sixs were informed that Ambrose gang members had been spotted shooting at Two Sixs in the K-Town area.  Ambrose allegedly opened fire on Two Six members because of a dispute over a girl.  According to court documents Two Six gang members Jason Gray, Little Hulk, Stoney and Inky all sought to avenge this shooting according to court documents.  Jason Gray and Little Hulk caught two Ambrose gang members at a 7-11 and beat them up in the parking lot according to court documents, and then they spotted two gang members that looked like Ambrose gang members in that same parking lot then pursued them after the black and baby blue clad gang members pulled their car out of the parking lot.  Jason Gray and Little Hulk and a third Two Six started throwing bottles and flashing gang signs at the gang members they thought were Ambrose, but it turned out they were actually Two Two Boys from Cicero coming to visit Ambrose friends at a party at 63^rd and Washtenaw, but that was not realized until when they caught those same gang members on California Ave and they clearly flashed Two Two gang signs.

Later on that night the Two Sixs heard about the party going on in Marquette Park at 63^rd and Washtenaw, so they sent two Two Six girl gang members to the party to do recon.  The girls aroused suspicion when they arrived and were unfriendly to everyone as they were dressed in black and beige, so they were asked to leave.  A few hours later Jason Gray, Stoney, Little Hulk and Inky crashed the party and knocked on the basement door where the party was being held at 6318 south Washtenaw.  When the door was opened Jason Gray began shooting then Little Hulk joined him as they shot down four people in the party, three of them died.  One that was killed was a Two Two Boy gang member and the injured one was a Two Two as well according to court documents.  Manuel Bobe also known as Little Hulk was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, he currently is still in prison for the crime, Jason Gray’s conviction was overturned many years later (People Illinois vs. Bobe, 1992) because his involvement was not true but the shooting and violence was, just not done by Jason Gray.  Two Sixs would now be in a full state of war with Two Two Boys and Ambrose that was a shocking war at that time.  Two of the other shooting victims at the party were Satan Disciples gang members which started a major war between Two Six and Satan Disciples, now Two Six was now at war with three allies all in one day’s work. These wars became permanent and the war between Two Six and Satan Disciples became legendary as they began hating each other as much as they hated Latin Kings.

Ambrose from 18^th Street and Two Six would have no war because of family ties with K-Town Two Six, this war was mainly between 63^rd Street and 59^th Street Two Six against Ambrose from 63^rd but as time would pass more Two Six and Ambrose wars in parts of the city and suburbs went to war then by the mid-90s all Two Six and all Ambrose were at war.

Not Insane anymore, we’re Gangster

When war began with Ambrose, Two Two Boys and Satan Disciples Two Six dropped the “Insane” out of their name that they shared with Satan Disciples and Two Two Boys for about a decade, now as of late 1986, Two Six was no longer “Insane” and “Gangster” became universal as all Two Six was now “Gangster Two Six” not just 38^th and Albany.

Back to war with Ridgeway Lords

One of the bigger reasons for the formation of Two Six in the early 70s was beef with Ridgeway lords, a gang that once ran Little Village alongside Latin Kings until a war with Latin Kings damaged the Ridgeway Lords. Shortly after the war began with Latin Kings, Ridgeway Lords bonded with Satan Disciples and the SDs convinced Two Six to get in on an alliance that became called “LTD” or “Lords Two Six and Disciples.” From what I understand, Two Six and Ridgeway Lords were not real tight during the LTD days in the 80s, it seems like they were only allies for business reasons while SDs and Ridgeway Lords established a brotherhood. It just seems like Two Six didn’t have much love for RLs and shortly after war erupted between SDs and Two Six, Two Six determined Ridgeway Lords were in the way of progress over the take over of K-Town. Two Six targeted Jimmy Gender, who was the biggest RL at the time and shot him in the head killing him. A war then erupted that Ridgeway Lords could not handle because they had lost so much territory, several big time guys retired and moved away and the Ridgeway Lords had been plagued by heroin use since the mid-70s. The Ridgeway Lords fought the Two Six in K-Town for around 5 years until Ridgeway Lords moved to the suburbs then went extinct. Once Two Six started a war with RLs, it caused Two Six to grow exponentially and now they ran Little Village alongside Latin Kings, but Latin Kings run east Little Village while Two Six runs the west.

War with Party Players

Ever since Two Six moved to the Back of the Yards community in the early 80s they were tight with a Party crew called the Party Players. In 1982 the relationship between Two Six and Party Players moved to another level when Party Players offered their numbers and muscle in exchange for lots of guns from Two Six. At the end of 1988 a shooting happened against the Saints and there was some snitching involved which caused deep anger between these two mobs. By the beginning of 1989 Two Six and Party Players were in full blown war but the Two Sixs proved to be a deadly foe for the Party Players which was part of the reason the Party Players would join the People alliance and become permanent allies with Latin Kings. In the end, Party Players left the Back of the Yards in the mid-2000s but Two Six stood strong.

White boy Two Sixs

In the 1970s and 1980s Two Six had many white members and many original Two Sixs from K-Town, 38^th and 63^rd were white; therefore, Two Six was not divided on racial lines. Many white boys from these neighborhoods were too poor to move out and they never bonded with white power or mainly white groups so they became hard hitting members of Two Six. In the 1990s white Two Sixs were in abundance in the suburbs including in Romeoville where I was growing up. White Two Sixs were very common in Cicero until the 2000s. White boys in the Two Sixs began to vanish by the 2000s decade.

Des Plaines

In the year 1989, the O’Hare airport area suburb of Des Plaines now had more openings for affordable housing in the Park Ridge condominiums which was a large strip of low-income housing along Dee Road between Dempster and Ballard. Mostly Hispanic families were moving into this complex from Chicago. The Youth in this complex found it tough be respected and accepted in this mostly white middle-class suburb so they turned to Chicago gangs for protection from bullying and to feel a sense of belonging in a community that rejected them. Along Dee Road several youths joined the notorious Dee Road Latin Kings that started in 1989 but in the Park Ridge subdivision around Dempster and Dee Latin Kings weren’t so welcome. The Future Stones became one of the main gangs to move into this area. 38^th and Albany Two Six recruited at Dempster and Dee created a Des Plaines chapter of Two Six. The Two Sixs and Future Stones are the ones that first made Dempster and Dee infamous. Two Sixs hit Future Stones and Latin Kings hard and the Future Stones were dismantled by Two Six by 1994 but because Two Six was so ruthless at Dee and Dempster the Des Plaines police were all over them forcing them to shut down in 1995. The remaining Two Sixs were valuable gunners and hardcore; therefore, the Dee Road Latin Kings decided to befriend them and flip them to Latin Kings, Latin Kings then took over Dempster and Dee permanently. The Two Sixs of Des Plaines may not have lasted long but they became part of the success of the Dempster and Dee Latin Kings because they were valuable soldiers after they flipped, they also went hard against the Future Stones, a legacy to not be forgotten. These Two Six did not get ran out of the suburb, they gangbanged too hard and the police pushed them out.

Joliet

In the year 1989, a Two Six leader from the city agreed to meet Sid, Psycho and John at the Prime N Tender restaurant at 7225 West 63^rd Street (63^rd and Harlem and no longer exists). The location was likely chosen because Two Six were not operating in Summit and needed a neutral place where authorities would not recognize them for this important meeting. At this meeting the Two Six leader granted these three men a Joliet chapter of Two Six on the east side of Joliet in the area of Jackson to Route 30 and from Henderson to Collins. This sparked an immediate war with Latin Kings that had been there for a decade and in the middle of gun cross fire a little girl was shot in the head on May 7, 1989, the little girl survived and lives a good life recently. Two Six in Joliet was heavy hitting and has survived the decades in this smaller city.

Romeoville to Bolingbrook

Shortly after Joliet Two Six started a Two Six named John or “John John” introduced Two Six to Romeoville. I am not sure if this is the same John that started the Joliet Two Sixs or not. Romeoville Two Six was formed around 1990 or 1991 in the area of 135^th Street to Murphy Drive and from Eaton Avenue to Hemlock/Homer. I grew up in Romeoville and I remember the Two Sixs well. All the Two Sixs I ever met were cool with me and I hung out with some of them. The Romeoville Two Sixs branched off 38^th and Albany and these guys hung out with the Romeoville Gangster Disciples and they were at war with Romeoville Latin Kings and Romeoville Latin Counts. Two Sixs were pretty strong in Romeoville in the early 90s and mid-90s until Romeoville police started clamping down hard on gangs in 1995-1996. At Romeoville High School I went to school with many Two Sixs including a Darkside Two Six. I soon learned there were Two Sixs in Bolingbrook but I don’t know how big they ever were, I knew of most of them to be in Romeoville.

By the end of the 90s Two Six was temporarily wiped out by the police but in the early 2000s they got a big second wind and a new leader. During these years I attended a few Two Six parties and got to know them a little. They ended up at war with the Romeoville Gangster Disciples and a GD house was blown up, the leader went to prison then I didn’t hear from them anymore.

79^th Street

In the year 1990, some Two Sixs moved from 63^rd Street to the Ashburn community on the far southwest side. Ashburn was racially changing starting in 1990 as the African American community began to grow and the white community began to leave. Hispanic migration came to Ashburn around 1990 and many of these Hispanic families were living in and near Scottsdale in the area of 79^th and Pulaski. 79^th and Pulaski is the location of William J. Bogan High School and many fights were starting to happen at the school that involved a white gang called the Insane Popes, an African American gang which was the Black P Stones and a Hispanic gang which was La Raza. Popes were mostly at 83^rd and Homan while Black P Stones were at 79^th and Homan while La Raza stayed posted right at 79^th and Pulaski so they could protect Hispanic youths going to and from school, eventually La Raza moved to 76^th and Ridgeway. These three gangs all formed in Ashburn in the mid-80s but Popes and Stones were both bound by the People alliance; therefore La Raza had to fight both gangs.

La Raza expanded into the area of 75^th Place to 79^th and from Pulaski to Lawndale which is a Hispanic area of Ashburn. In the year 1990, Two Sixs from 63^rd Street granted a chapter to the 79^th and Pulaski area which the Two Sixs considered this as their Scottsdale group. Two Six went at it hard with Insane Popes and La Raza. La Raza was upset that Two Six was trying to take over the area which appeared to be true, especially since 79^th and Pulaski Two Six branched out to 79^th and Lawndale in the 90s and this made the war with La Raza worse.

Two Sixs wanted 79^th and Pulaski for some of the same reasons as La Raza, to protect Hispanic kids going to and from school but Two Six would also need to look out for family and friends from La Raza gang members. Over time more La Raza would flip to Two Six while the war raged on through the 90s. Two Six also got into it hard with Popes through the 90s. By the early 2000s La Raza withdrew from Ashburn permanently and many of the rest flipped to Two Six. The Popes also were tired out from the battles with Two Six by the early 2000s and they closed shop as well. Two Six territory then became 75^th Place to 81^st Street and from Pulaski to Lawndale. Ashburn Two Sixs are still active presently.

Chapo City

In the year 1990, the West Lawn community began a racial change as whites moved out and Hispanic people were moving in. This racial transition was not smooth and this may have led to gangs moving into this area to stake claims on these streets. Small groups of gangs started in the neighborhood and the only bigger group was the Satan Disciples but Two Six would established the biggest section in West Lawn in 1990 becoming West Lawn’s biggest mob. Two Six would develop territory from 59^th to 67^th and from Pulaski to Central Park Avenue in a large area known as “Chapo City.” Two Six would do a lot of damage to smaller gangs that operated here in the 90s and 2000s causing them either dissolve or fight back and end up the target of the police because going against Two Six was too costly and attracted police attention. Saints and Krazy Get Down Boys were examples of smaller groups in West Lawn that were enemies with Two Six that were eventually shut down. Many Two Sixs from 59^th Street began to gravitate into Chapo City in the early 90s until 59^th closed. Chapo City is still an active Two Six hood.

63^rd & Central

Between 1989-1992 the far southwest side neighborhood of Clearing began racially transitioning and the transition brought on many fights among the youths. Insane Popes were always hanging out at 63^rd and Normandy area by 1989 and this was a mostly white gang that often fought groups of Hispanic youths. Insane Popes established a section here in 1990 and visiting Two Six and Satan Disciples began visiting the area and mixing it up with the Popes. Twelfth Street Players, another mostly white gang moved into the neighborhood and they hung out with Popes and were allied to them under the People alliance. In the early 90s Two Six and Satan Disciples officially established a chapter here. Two Six took the 63^rd and Central area as Hispanic families were settling east of Austin Avenue close to the airport. Two Six would develop a strong presence in Clearing and were highly active in the 1990s and 2000s. Two Six is still active in this area while Insane Popes and Twelfth Street Players no longer are.

The northwest side legacy

Since the early 1980s Two Sixs had an interest in the northwest side of the city which began in the Albany Park area. Two Sixs tagged Horner Park in the Irving Park neighborhood in the early 80s but I am not sure if there was an active section there, it likely was just done by visiting members, if there was an active group it went extinct a short time later in the early 80s. Horner Parks sits on the border of Irving Park and Albany Park and is not too far away from Sunnyside and Bernard which became the site of Two Sixs in Albany Park by the mid-90s. After visiting for a decade and a half Two Sixs finally took a piece of Albany Park; however, it did not last long due to costly wars with the Ainslie and Springfield Satan Disciples and the Spanish Gangster Disciples from Drake and Ainslie, the war went on until the early 2000s then Two Six of Sunnyside and Bernard moved to Addison and Major in the Portage Park community. There was another group of Two Six in Albany Park at Hamlin and Giddings but I am not sure how long they lasted but these Two Sixs were closed by the early 2000s.

Two Six would also open in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood at Belden and Major but I don’t have much info on that group yet.

The TAP Boys

In 1991, several Arab youths began to gather in large numbers at 63^rd and Kedzie then they would gravitate to 63^rd and Spaulding which was Two Six territory. Arabs had been living in the 63^rd and Kedzie area since the 40s but by the late 80s Arabs were conflicting with African Americans and Hispanic people. During the Golf War in early 1991 the Arab youths felt threatened enough to start their own crew/gang that they called “Tall Arabian Posse” or “TAP Boys” at 63^rd and Kedzie and they often tried to claim 63^rd and Spaulding but that was “Homicide Town” for the Two Sixs; therefore, the Two Sixs began hitting the TAP Boys hard until they had to move to the suburbs. By 1996, the TAP Boys were gone from 63^rd and Kedzie.

TAP Boys did put together a group in the Ashburn community in the mid-90s and were often gathering outside of Bogan High School at 79^th and Pulaski; therefore, TAP Boys started claiming 79^th and Pulaski which was in Two Six hood. Two Six would use heavy violence to deal with this ongoing conflict with the TAP Boys.

In February of 1996, TAP Boy members attacked a female member of the Two Sixs at Bogan High School, after they beat her up they stole her jacket that was worth $30 according to the Chicago Tribune February 23, 1996. Two Sixs knew that TAP Boys liked to gather at Sinbad’s Castle Video Arcade at 90th and Harlem that was down the street from a hardware store that was there before Menards took over at 91^st and Harlem. There were about 100 members of the TAP Boys and their associates hanging out in front of Sinbad’s and the hardware store when Two Six gang members arrived and started shooting at the crowd mowing down three teenagers, two of which were brothers. According to the December 30, 2001 Star article about the incident, Loay “Louie” Nakhleh and his brother Mohammed Nakhleh were both shot but Louie got the worst of it being shot in the shoulder and in his spine which caused him to be paralyzed from the chest down for life. Nakhleh did an interview with the Star for this article as he was basically trying to spread a message that being in a gang could be very costly. In the article it described how Nakhleh was confined to a wheel chair for life and had a big scar on his neck because of the emergency tracheotomy needed to save his life after being nearly fatally wounded. The two shooters, who were 18 and 20 years old at the time were convicted. In the article Nakhleh said the more hardcore members of the TAP Boys flipped to other gangs while the rest of them left the life. This article can serve as a positive and growing experience for the TAP Boys but it also can serve as a message that Two Six will go to great lengths to eliminate enemies and they specialize in the complete removal of party crews or smaller gangs that move into their territory. TAP Boys started territory in Bridgeview and Burbank in the early 90s along with trying to start on 79^th Street in Ashburn, this advancement came with a heavy price tag as Two Six came down violently on TAP Boys. The Krazy Get Down Boys once set up in West Lawn and the Two Sixs were all over them until KGBs left the area.

No more love for Disciples

In the late 70s and earlier 80s, Two Six was in good standing with Satan Disciples, Gangster Disciples, Black Disciples, Spanish Gangster Disciples and Maniac Latin Disciples. In late 1986 war erupted with the Satan Disciples. When Gangster Disciples started a mostly Hispanic faction in Cicero in 1992 friction with the Two Sixs grew until complete war erupted in 1996. I remember hearing about this war when I was a teen and I thought it effected all Two Six and all GDs but the war mainly was just in Cicero but it got so bad that many thought war was everywhere. The main Gangster Disciples on the south side and west side of Chicago don’t really know of any war with Two Six or hardly know what a Two Six is. Two Six and GDs just started having problems sharing certain suburbs.

When the Maniac Latin Disciples moved into Cicero in 1997, that did start a war between Two Six and Maniac Latin Disciples because Maniac Latin Disciples were settling Cicero aggressively and starting wars with several Cicero mobs.

The Spanish Gangster Disciples started to blow up in size in the mid-90s growing into multiple suburbs and more north side hoods. SGDs were advancing on multiple neighborhoods Two Six had a presence in such as Albany Park, Belmont-Cragin, Portage Park and even Little Village for awhile. These SGD settlements brought lots of war with Two Six in the mid-90s until the mid-2000s.

Two Six versus Two Six

Since the later 1990s groups of Two Six have been going to war with each other periodically and many times the war would involve shootings and murder. One big war involved the Darkside Two Six at war with with 63^rd Street Two Six and Two Sixs from 38^th. I heard about wars like this back in the late 90s. These wars happen on and off.

92^nd Street

In the year 2000, I got a computer for the first time and now had internet connection. One of the earliest gang related websites I came across was a website that the Latin Counts of South Chicago made that had pictures of Latin Count murals and a photo of a Latin King named “Magic” upside down. The website also was throwing down Two Six from 92^nd Street, so it seemed like the site was most angry at Latin Kings, Latin Dragons and Two Six, this said to me that Two Six had just started in South Chicago around 2000. These Two Sixs were at 92^nd and Brandon. These Two Sixs moved to 92^nd and Exchange and they have some African American members.

Known sections of Two Six past and present

Albany Park neighborhood mid 90s-early 2000s

Sections of Albany Park

Sunnyside from Bernard to St. Louis

Ashburn neighborhood Established 1990-present years

Sections of Ashburn

75^th to 79^th, Lawndale to Pulaski

79^th to 81^st, Pulaski to Central Park Ave

Back of the Yards neighborhood Established 1980-presen years

Sections of Back of the Yards

47^th to 51^st, Hoyne to Winchester (Damen Two Six)

Belmont – Cragin neighborhood

Sections of Belmont – Cragin

Belden & Major

Brighton Park neighborhood Established 1977-present years

Sections of Brighton Park

38^th to 39^th, Kedzie to Francisco (Terror Town)

42^nd to 44^th, Kedzie to Richmond

46^th to 47^th, Kedzie to Albany (No Love Ville)

46^th & Mozart

46^th & Whipple

36^th & Washtenaw

38^th & Washtenaw

Clearing neighborhood Established Early 90s-present years

Sections of Clearing

63^rd to 65^th, Menard to Central (Central Two Six)

63^rd to 67^th, Lavergne to Knox (Cicero Two Six)

62^nd & Major

Gage Park neighborhood Established 1979-1994

Sections of Gage Park

56th to 59^th, Campbell to Talman Established

Little Village neighborhood Established 1970-present years

Sections of Little Village

23^rd to 33rd, to Hamlin to Pulaski (Chi Town Two Six) Established 1977-present years

24^th to 33rd, Kostner to Pulaski (K-Town Two Six) Established 1975-present years

24^th to 26^th, Kostner to Pulaski (Darkside Two Six) Established 1983-present years

24^th & Karlov (Two Four Karlov)

24^th & Keeler (Two Fours) Established 1981-present years

25^th & Keeler (Two Five Keeler)

30^th & Lawndale

26^th & Sawyer Established 1970-1977

24^th from Millard to Lawndale

24^th & Sawyer

26^th & St. Louis

27^th from Keeler to Tripp

Marquette Park neighborhood Established 1977-present years

Sections of Marquette Park

63^rd to 65^th, Central Park Ave to Spaulding (Homicide Town) 1977

59th to to 63rd, Campbell to Talman Established 1979-1994

67^th & Kedzie

Portage Park neighborhood Established early 2000s

Sections of Portage Park

Addison & Major

South Chicago neighborhood Established early 2000s-present years

Sections of South Chicago

92^nd & Exchange

92^nd & Brandon

West Lawn neighborhood Established 1990-present years

Sections of West Lawn

59th to 67^th, Pulaski to Central Park Ave (H-Town)

63^rd & Hamlin

68^th & Hamlin

Suburbs

Cicero Established 1980– present years, Parkholme Apartments (Parkholme Two Six). 16^th to Cermak, Laramie to 51^st Ave. 18^th & 51^st. 21^st & 50^th Ct. Cermak to 26^th, 51^st Ave to Cicero Ave. (Murder Town) 24^th & 49^th Ave (Two Fours)

Calumet City

Berwyn

Glenview

Joliet Established 1980-present years

Rock Island

Romeoville Established 1990-early 2000s

Schaumburg

Villa Park Established circa 1990-present years

Hammond, IND

Bensenville 90s

Hoffman Estates

Lansing

North Lake

Bolingbrook

Burbank