7 historical events that happened on Valentine’s Day
6. St. Valentine's Day Massacre — 1929
Feb. 14 marks the anniversary of when famed Chicago gangster Al Capone reportedly orchestrated the killings of several rival gang members in an event known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
For years, Capone and his South Side gang had feuded with the North Side gang headed by George "Bugs" Moran over various illicit businesses, especially alcohol sales during Prohibition.
The rivalry came to a close on Valentine’s Day, when hitmen believed to have been hired by Capone gunned down six members of the North Side gang, plus an acquaintance of the group.
“Around 10:30 a.m. on February 14, 1929, a black Cadillac similar to those driven by police stopped in front of a garage in Chicago. The garage was owned by the SMC Cartage Company, a front for the Moran gang’s illegal activities. Two of the four men in the car were disguised as police officers,” noted EBSCO.
“Under the guise of a raid, the men entered the garage and instructed everyone inside to stand against a wall. The assailants opened fire with two Thompson submachine guns and a shotgun, killing or mortally wounding all seven men.”
While several individuals were questioned or detained by police, ultimately no one was ever convicted for their involvement in the headline-grabbing brutal criminal act.
Having wiped out his lead competitor, Capone became the dominant organized crime figure in Chicago until 1931, when he was found guilty of tax evasion and sent to prison.
