"Urban terrorists:" Wild 100s gang blamed for "extraordinary amount" of crime in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn on Thursday afternoon, April 16th announced the arrest of "a lot of bad guys" -- members of the Wild 100s gang. Eleven people were taken into custody on Thursday, and they join more than 100 people arrested since September. The Wild 100s have been called "urban terrorists" before. Chief Flynn says the gang's members have been responsible for crimes like vehicle thefts, armed robberies, drug deals, shootings and homicides.

Milwaukee police on Thursday released photos showing a highly-coordinated sweep in which gang members were apprehended. The Wild 100s gang began in Chicago and has now infiltrated Milwaukee.

"This group has been involved in an extraordinary amount of auto thefts, armed robberies, shootings, and even homicides," Chief Flynn said.

Now, 11 more of the gang's members have been taken off the street.

The gang, named after the streets on Chicago's south side, where the gang originated, is being blamed for violent crimes that have occurred across southeastern Wisconsin.

"The task force (Thursday) recovered firearms, crack cocaine, marijuana and cash," Chief Flynn said.

In August 2014, Wild 100s gang members tried to rob an optical store in Fox Point. An armed store employee shot and killed one of the accused robbers. 20-year-old Tedric Sanders is serving seven years in prison for his role in the crime.

Weeks later, a gang member was killed by a crime victim. Police say Cameron Powell died after he tried to rob someone who fired at him.

And in perhaps the most high-profile recent case linked to this gang, 13-month-old Bill Thao lost his life on December 27th. The baby was playing in the living room of a home near 73rd and Mill when he was shot and killed. Accused heroin dealer Darmequaye Cohill is charged -- accused of shooting into the wrong home, killing the child.

“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.

Since last September police have charged 180 felony counts and seized more than 35 firearms in connection with this gang.