La Gang Settles In Seattle Dozen Members Of Violent Group Leave Marks On Walls Of School

A small cadre of one of Los Angeles’ most violent gangs has settled in Seattle, putting police on alert and North Seattle residents on nervous watch.

About a dozen members of the Latino gang called Mara Salvatrucha turned up in Seattle about six months ago, police say.

Despite the reputation of the gang - known as “MS” - the extent of its criminal activity here so far has been drug possession and leaving gang insignia on the newly painted walls of Viewlands Elementary School in the North Greenwood area.

The gang members, ages 16 to 24, have also staked a territorial claim along the Lake City Way Northeast corridor, where many of them live.

Police have made no arrests, but say they’re keeping a vigilant eye on the gang, made up mostly of second-generation Salvadorans. Already, police have the names of many members, said Detective Ed Harris of the gang unit.

“If we can deal with them at the infancy of their debut in Seattle in such a way that it discourages other MS gang members from coming up here, then we’ve gone a long way to reduce violence before it starts,” Harris said.

Chas Martin, whose son is a Viewlands student, heard of the Mara Salvatrucha gang when he lived in Southern California about 12 years ago; its reputation is one of utter ruthlessness, he said.

“Most of the gangs I’ve heard about here are gang-wannabes. The gangs in Southern California are far more serious. The only thing on their mind is territory and making money from drugs,” he said.

Although no gang members here have been cited for violent crimes, Los Angeles sheriff’s officials said it would be “unrealistic” to think that the gang will remain peaceful.

“These people are coming from a very violent gang world,” said Sgt. Wes McBride of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department gang unit. “With them, it’s might makes right, and they’re going to settle their arguments with guns. The police there (in Seattle) need to put some resources on that real quick.”

Last year in Los Angeles, 614 deaths were attributed to gangs.

“And I would say that MS contributed significantly to that number,” McBride said. “They are in the top five for gang killings.”

About 35 school officials and parents met at Viewlands Elementary in mid-August to learn more from police about the gang.

“These people are a little more aggressive than your average gang,” said Sgt. Steve Martin of the gang unit. “They don’t seem to be afraid of the police. On the street (in Seattle), other gangs and drug dealers are using terms such as ‘ruthless’ when they describe them.”

Parents of children who attend the school are worried.

“What really concerns me more than anything is that they’ve picked an elementary school,” said Chas Martin, whose 7-year-old son will start second grade Monday. “I mean, how low can you get?”

At Viewlands, the gang usually hangs out near several portable classrooms.

“They even have people on the roof of the school to act as lookouts,” Chas Martin said.

Especially troubling to school parents and staff, the graffiti started to appear about three weeks before a one-of-a-kind painting project in which they painted the school themselves, using city grants.

Over the past month, the school has been “tagged” about seven times. Each time, parents have gone to the school to repaint, said Jean Bates, president of the Viewlands PTA.

Even though the gang members haven’t been seen near the school during the day, parents and school officials are concerned about the start of classes Monday.