In the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, the killings took place in Chicago.
The victims were gathered at a garage at 2122 North Clark Street in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Seven members and associates of the North Side Gang were attacked by men, two of whom were reportedly disguised as police officers. The gunmen used Thompson submachine guns and a sawed-off shotgun.
The massacre occurred during Prohibition, when rival criminal organizations fought over bootlegging and territory. The North Side Gang, associated with George “Bugs” Moran, was battling the Chicago Outfit, led by Al Capone. Moran was believed to be the intended target, but he arrived late and escaped the ambush.
The crime became one of the most famous episodes in Chicago’s organized-crime history. Although Capone was widely suspected, no one was successfully prosecuted for the killings. The garage was demolished in 1967, but the event remains closely identified with Chicago.