Twenty-two members of the violent El Salvadorian MS-13 gang in Los Angeles, California have been charged with a string of gruesome murders in which victims were hacked to death with machetes.
On Tuesday, the accused were charged with murdering seven individuals over the last two years. In one instance, six of the MS-13 members kidnapped, choked, and attacked a rival gang member with a machete, cutting out his heart. The victim was then dismembered and his remains thrown into a canyon.
“Taking violent offenders off the street should send a message to MS-13 members and their associates that medieval-style violence and senseless murder will not be tolerated in Los Angeles,” the Los Angeles FBI office said in a statement.