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.[4][5]
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 (American Nazi Party but no relation to the group founded by Rockwell). The new group was called Aryan Empire. Eventually the gang just went back to being called 2-11.
Benjamin Davis was transferred to the Wyoming prison system where he soon thereafter killed himself.
Notable incidents
In 2013, 211 Crew member Evan Spencer Ebel, murdered a local pizza delivery man in order to use his work clothes and paraphernalia as a disguise. Ebel then drove to the home of Colorado Department of Corrections head Tom Clements and called at the door, under the ruse of delivering a pizza. When Clements answered, Ebel shot him several times. After murdering Clements on the steps of his own home, Ebel immediately fled; authorities finally caught up to him on a Texas highway, possibly on his way to Mexico. Ebel refused to surrender and engaged in a protracted, high speed car chase with pursuing law enforcement officers. The pursuit came to an end after Ebel crashed into a gravel truck. Following the accident, Ebel began a gunfight with police, being shot multiple times in the process. Ebel was taken to the hospital, but never regained consciousness and was removed from life support the following day.[4][8]
