"A lot of bad guys got caught:" Chief Flynn announces arrest of 11 "Wild 100s" gang members

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn on Thursday, April 16th announced the arrest of 11 people connected to more than 100 other recent arrests. Police say those arrested are part of the Wild 100s gang.

"Some really smart apprehensions (Thursday) in which nobody got hurt but a lot of bad guys got caught and a lot of cops did a good job," Chief Flynn said during a press conference Thursday afternoon.

Police in Milwaukee have been investigating this gang since September. The investigation began in response to a large increase in violent crime within MPD's District 4. The gang began in Chicago and has infiltrated Milwaukee.

"Since last September, charged 180 felony counts and seized more than 35 firearms," Chief Flynn said.

The arrest of 11 people Thursday includes 10 men and one woman ranging in age from 20 to 60 years old. Although not huge in size, police are calling these arrests huge in impact.

"We are committed to breaking up whatever credibility (these gang members) have by locking up as many of them as possible for the series of crimes they`ve inflicted on their own neighborhoods," Chief Flynn said.

Chief Flynn said Thursday this gang actively works to recruit new members.

"This is a group that actively recruits new members and particularly tries to attract impressionable young people by producing basically high quality rock recruitment videos as well as bringing them in through stolen cars," Chief Flynn said.

Car thefts are among the crimes police say these gang members often commit -- sometimes stealing five to 10 cars a night for "fun." They have also been involved in dozens of armed robberies -- and this gang has been linked to the shooting death of 13-month-old Bill Thao. Thao died at the hospital after he was shot while playing in the living room of a home near 73rd and Mill on December 27th.

Although Chief Flynn says the arrests made Thursday and since September have made an impact, their work is not over.

"The main impact of (Thursday's) sweep is to pick up people we wanted already. We have built cases against every individual arrested (Thursday). How much of this and that we confiscate today is less important than the fact that we have built cases against every single individual that`s been arrested. We are committed to breaking up whatever credibility they have by locking up as many as possible for the crimes they have inflicted on their own neighborhoods," Chief Flynn said.

Some of the items confiscated during Thursday's arrests include: marijuana, heroin, cocaine, firearms and cash, according to Chief Flynn.

Other law enforcement agencies involved in Thursday's arrests: the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Racine County Sheriff's Office.

Chief Flynn made mention Thursday of other recent similar sweeps targeting the Spanish Cobras in MPD's District 2, and the 2-9 Taliban gang in District 5.

"This is a long-term investigation. It shall continue," Chief Flynn said.