211 Crew
The 211 Crew, also known as the Aryan Empire, Aryan Alliance or Brotherhood of Aryan Alliance is an American white supremacist prison gang, active both in and out of prison, that was formed in 1995 at Colorado's Denver County Jail. It was linked to several high-profile murders and criminal investigations. Those included the assassination of Colorado Department of Corrections head Tom Clements. Due to a threatening letter sent by a Texas Aryan Brotherhood member, it was suspected to be linked to similar assassinations of Texas district attorney Mike McLelland, and his assistant prosecutor Mark Hasse, but a former Justice of the Peace was eventually indicted for those murders.
Racism and ideology
When founded, the gang embraced symbols traditionally associated with Irish culture in [the United States|Irish], Nazi and Viking culture, some members have tattoos of shamrocks, Viking horns, swastikas and/or other Nazi sigils. Members refer to each other as "Mugs". There is no prohibition on members sleeping with other races. Many 211 Crew members have interracial children. Many have classified 211 Crew as a white supremacist prison gang. However, 211 Crew members, including its founders, have been documented with ties to black inmates. Israel Davis, father of Benjamin Davis, has stated that his son is not a racist and has two black siblings. However, 211 Crew members have also been linked to racially motivated murders of African Americans, making the gang's official stance on race unclear.Formation
The gang was formed in 1995 after founding member Benjamin Davis was beaten and nearly killed in a racially motivated attack by a black inmate. Davis was jumped and beaten with a sock stuffed full of soap bars, resulting in a badly broken jaw. Davis decided to form a gang in order to protect himself, and other white inmates, from the black and Latino gangs. 211 Crew began as a deception to fool black and Latino gangs into thinking that a white gang was present to protect white inmates. As the rumor grew within the institution, men soon started asking about membership and 211 Crew became a prison gang. As members got released they started recruiting on the street level.According to 2-11s own lore the gang was named because Benjamin Davis and his co-defendants were all charged with a string of robberies. Davis was a former member of the Bloods gang and formed a minority style gang with his co-defendants. Originally it was called 2-11 Irish Crew but as they recruited people without Irish heritage it just became 2-11 Crew.
Eventually 2-11 merged with the Colorado prison gangs Aryan Syndicate and ANP. The new group was called Aryan Empire. Eventually the gang just went back to being called 2-11.
Benjamin Davis was transferred to Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins where he was found dead of an apparent suicide in August of 2017.