But the tagging of numerous East Dayton businesses on Thursday, June 25, has caught the attention and the concern of Safe Streets detectives.
“We pay attention to active and violent gangs, that’s all I can say,” Dayton Detective Chad Knight said.
The gang, also known as Sur 13 or Sur Trece’, is rooted in California and is a subgroup of Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, one of the largest and most violent street gangs in the country, according to the FBI.
MS-13 members have been identified by the Montgomery Sheriff’s Office and the Safe Streets Task Force.
There have been bubbling feuds in the area between MS-13 and Surenos, but nothing significant, Knight said.
“A lot of the incidents go unreported because these gangs prey on (Hispanic) victims that are living (in the U.S.) illegally,” Knight said.
The FBI maintains that Hispanic gang members often join Sureños (which, translated, means southerner) or arch rival Norteños (northerner) when they enter prison systems.
Both MS-13 and Sur 13 have had a deadly decades-long feud with the Norteños gang, which is rooted in northern California.
Knight said rival tags referencing Norteños have been found on buildings in the city, but its nearest faction is in Columbus.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2494 or lsullivan @DaytonDailyNews.com.
About the Author