PUEBLO, Colo. — In the heart of territory run by the gang Los Carnales East Side Dukes — on a corner known as the Devil’s Triangle — a 14-year-old who describes himself as a “baby gangster” explained why he was trying to escape the crew.

“I really didn’t want to end up six feet under,” said Esai Torres, who joined the Dukes at 12, beating up rivals and following in the footsteps of his father, a leader on the streets.

The city of Pueblo — a gateway to the Southwest and home to gangs that span generations — is caught up in a wave of violence that has alarmed everyone from the baby gangsters and their families to local and federal officials. Pueblo had 13 homicides in 2014 and another 13 in 2015, giving the city the unfortunate distinction of having the highest per-capita murder rate in the state. At 12 murders per 100,000 people, its homicide incidence is three times that of New York City, and twice that of Brooklyn, New York’s deadliest borough.

“We’re in an unusually violent spike right now,” said Jim Moore, an F.B.I. special agent who has spent the last 14 years trying to drive out Pueblo’s gangs. “There is a small group of each gang that will shoot at a rival gang member any time of the day or night and anywhere, just because they happen to be a rival gang member.”