Gangster Two Six

Infobox Criminal organization
name =Gangster Two Six


caption =
territory =Mostly Illinois
ethnic makeup =mostly hispanic
membership = Over 1,000
criminal activities =Drug trafficking,and murder
rivals =Peoples Nation,Vice Lords,Four Corner Hustlers,latin kings,Satan Disciples,Maniac latin disciples,Most Gangster Disciples sets ,ambrose,La Raza

The Gangster Two Six Nation, also known as GTS, G26, IIGVI and TSN, is one of the largest Latino organizations on Chicago's Southside, the Two-Sixers originated in the Little Village neighborhood in the mid-to-late 1960s. The gang is rumored to have originated from a group of youth who formed a neighborhood baseball club known as the "Two-Sixers". As the club gained a reputation, some members of the Two-Sixers began to sell drugs in the community and occupy drug territory. This brought attention to their club from local area street gangs, including the Latin Kings who proclaimed the area in which Two-Sixers were selling drugs. As a result, the Latin Kings began to provoke fights and initiate conflicts with members of the Two-Sixers. These members of the Two-Sixers started to recruit members in the Little Village community to combat against the Latin Kings, who were disliked by many of the youth throughout their neighborhoods. This made the recruitment process fairly rapid for the off-shoot known as the Two-Six Boys. The gangs main base of operations was located along the West 26th street corridor, hence the name "Two-Six". The Two-Six Boys and Latin Kings obviously initiated a gang war over drug territory. The Two-Six grew at a rapid pace, eventually adopting the principles and factors of a well known street gang in the process. Throughout the late 1960s and early 70s, the Two-Six gained further influence on 26th street, fighting such organizations as the Latin Kings, Ambrose, Kool Gang, and Villalobos street gangs. In the late 1970s, David Ayala gained control over the organization. Under the leadership of David Ayala, the Two-Six spread their influence throughout Southside communities including the Back of The Yards, Pilsen, and Brighton Park neighborhoods. In 1981, David Ayala was charged with murder of two Latin Kings gang members and sentenced to life in prison. David Ayala now resides in Tamms correctional facility. In the late 1970s or early 1980s the Two-Six joined the Folks alliance. During this time, the Two-Six adopted the "Gangster" moniker to their gang title to show comradery to the Gangster Disciples street gang and the Folks alliance on the streets and in the correctional facilities. By the early 1980s, the Gangster Two-Six had a large presence on the Southside operating throughout numerous communties and initiating in various turf wars with rivals and unfamiliar street gangs.

In the late 1980s, the Gangster Two-Six and Satan Disciples street gang initiated a gang war after a member of the Two-Six was killed by a member of the Satan Disciples. This war is accredited to the fall-out of many Folks gangs interalliances which caused a portion of ripple effects that lead other Folks gangs to engage in acts of violence and shootings with each other. During that era, most Latino Folks gangs were unified and any interalliance gang wars were severely looked down upon and forced to be settled swiftly. By that time, both organizations were considered of immense membership, and an organization of that size and credibility was uncommon to "back down" or call a truce when an injustice to them has occurred. Nevertheless, the Gangster Two-Six and Satan Disciples fought one of the most well documented gang wars on the Southside of Chicago, in which many lives were lost on both sides. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Gangster Two-Six continued to fight against numerous rival gangs while spreading their influence into other parts of the city along with few Chicagoland suburbs. In the early 1990s, the Gangster Two-Six began to move vastly into the suburb of Cicero. The Gangster Two-Six developed rapidly in Cicero, over-powering smaller organizations such as the Ambrose and Two-Two Boys, whom operated in the Parkholme housing projects. The Gangster Two-Six remain arch enemies with the Latin Kings, with both gangs controlling opposite ends of the Little Village community, Lawndale street being the recognized border for the Two-Six and Latin Kings. As many as 18 murders and 56 shootings have been tied to the violence between the two gangs in Little Village from 2003 to early 2006. The Gangster Two-Six have a large presence in the Little Village, South Lawndale, Marquette Park, Brighton Park, and Back of the Yards communities and various Chicagoland suburbs. Throughout the organizations history, the Two-Six have been one of Chicago's fastest growing gangs and continue to spread their influence throughout the South Chicagoland area and suburbs. The gang has a high proficiency for violence; their primary criminal involvement has consisted of graffiti, drug trafficking, assault, armed robbery, theft, arson, kidnapping, shootings, and murder to protect their territory.