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I was walking home late last night and heard raised voices coming from a boarded up old warehouse. I stopped, out of sight, to listen...

[When I started eavesdropping, the conversation was already under way...]

Gangster 1: -infiltrator in our midst, and I know who it is... [dramatic pause] ...It's you isn't it!
Gangster 2: Me?
G1: What? No... him.
Gangster 3: That's ridiculous! I'm no traitor! How do we know it's not you?!
G2: It's not me!
G3: No... him... [under breath] ...idiot.
G1: That doesn't even make sense. I'm the most prolific amongst us. When would I even have the chance to work for the opposition?
G3: What do you mean? I'm in every day!
Gangster 4: [to himself] Me too, but you don't hear me harping on...
G3: [continuing] Not to mention I saw you with your ex last week on my way out of here... And I won't mention who I saw him hanging out with again yesterday...
G2: We weren't hanging out! I was just stuck behind him in a queue!
Gangster 5: Hey, we all fraternize with the enemy now and then... It's necessary to meet our goals... But this is different. From what I hear, half the time you act like you are one of them!

[A street sweeper drove slowly by, so I missed a little of the conversation...]

G3: It's a set up! Think about it... Who would gain the most from seeing me dead? ...I would!
Gangster 6: 'strue, but 'e would too...
G1: Sure, he occasionally fills in for me, but he could practically replace you!
G2: No he couldn't!
G6/G1/G3: Would you shut up!
G4: Geez settle down guys, what's with all the yelling?
G1: Because no one was talking to you!
G4: Ahh... Gotcha...

[A crowd of drunken revellers stumbled by and as I slipped into an alley to remain unseen, I missed another few minutes of the argument...]

G1: Gimme one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now!
G2: I didn't do anything wrong!
G3: Wait... Who are we talking about now?
G1: You!
G2: Oh...
G5: Why?
G1: Yes!

[From here things escalated rapidly, and when gunshots were fired, I made a run for it...]

I went to the police but when they visited the scene, the gang was gone, and everything had already been cleaned. They said there wasn't enough to go on unless I could identify the victim and the perpetrators.

Who was the gang?
Which member was killed?
Why were they killed?

Bonus: What was the name of each gangster?

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  • 20
    $\begingroup$ Brilliant puzzle. $\endgroup$
    – pacoverflow
    Jul 14, 2015 at 5:11
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    $\begingroup$ And congrats on your Trusted Usership! You and Aggie are right next to each other in the rep rankings now ;-) $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Jul 14, 2015 at 20:48
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    $\begingroup$ Found this by accident. I absolutely LOVE this puzzle, Alconja! $\endgroup$
    – Khale_Kitha
    Apr 7, 2016 at 21:21

1 Answer 1

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The gang was the notorious

Vowel Syndicate!

The victim was

Y

because

he was a double agent for the Vowel Syndicate's chief rivals, the Consonant Guild!

The gangsters are, I believe:

1: e ("most prolific")
2: u (every time someone says "you" he thinks they're talking to him, also was stuck behind "Q")
3: y (is in every "day", is the one that seems to be the accused)
4: a (is also in every "day")
5: o (responds to gangster 2 saying "oh" near the end)
6: i (responds to gangster 3 saying "I" would gain the most from seeing "Y" dead)

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    $\begingroup$ I'd also like to note that G2 even mentions a queue. $\endgroup$
    – Anoplexian
    Nov 23, 2016 at 23:58
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    $\begingroup$ How did you get the syndicate and guild parts? $\endgroup$
    – jkd
    Jan 4, 2017 at 7:19

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