All About The Detroit Biker Gangs
Detroit has a rich tradition of rebellious biker gangs, with notorious clubs such as “The Highwaymen,” “The Avengers,” “The Outlaws,” and “The Highwaymen” calling the Motor City home. These gangs, with their national headquarters located in Southeast Michigan, are central to the culture of Midwest bikers.
According to Bill Randal, a former FBI agent, these biker gangs represent a unique breed of criminals. Living on the fringes of society, they harbor a deep disdain for anyone outside their own circle. Even within the criminal world, they are considered outliers, following their own path and betraying any traditional code.
The history of organized motorcycle activity in Detroit dates back to the early 20th century, with the illegal aspects of the culture emerging more prominently in the 1960s and 1970s. Sociologists suggest that the large number of disillusioned Vietnam War veterans played a major role in the rise of these biker gangs. By the 1940s, biker gangs had evolved into organized crime syndicates, with events like the Illinois-based Outlaws' first post-WWII rally in 1946 marking the birth of the U.S. biker social calendar.
Detroit became home to several feared biker gangs, each led by influential figures with a criminal background. Wright, president of the Avenger's Michigan chapter, was arrested for stealing U.S. Forestry Service plans to transport drugs between Medellin and Detroit.
After being convicted for the murder of a rival gang member in Ohio, Wright was eventually caught and imprisoned in 1997. His successor, “The Big Foot Tommy” Thomas Khalil, rose to power as the national president of the club, overseeing a brutal street war between chapters across the Midwest and rival gangs like the Forbidden Wheels and Iron Coffins.
As per court documents, Khalil instructed his followers to kill members of the Iron Coffins and take their patches. In a 1998 speech, recorded by authorities, Khalil declared his surprise that no one had yet earned their "first coffin patch," even suggesting he would do it himself.
The Detroit Chapter of the Forbidden Wheels saw its president, Paul “Rocky,” convicted of murdering two female members in 1983. He was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.
