16 charged in NYC gang-related shootings that 'terrorized their neighborhoods'
16 suspected gang members charged in NYC
Sixteen suspects who authorities say are linked to 21 shootings in East Harlem are being charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
NEW YORK CITY - Sixteen suspects who authorities say are linked to 21 shootings over several months in New York City that "terrorized their neighborhoods and communities" were charged in sweeping indictments announced on Tuesday.
LA World vs. Wuski
What we know:
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the charges alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. They said the violence was a result of a long-running dispute between a pair of rival gangs.
Authorities believe the shootings, which nearly all occurred between March and September 2024, were sparked by the murder of a "LA World" gang member that "eventually morphed into significant conflict between the LA World and ‘Wuski’ gangs." Throughout the investigation, 15 firearms were recovered.
According to authorities, LA World operated out of the NYCHA's Lehman Houses, while Wuski operated out of NYCHA’s Johnson Houses. Nine LA World defendants and seven Wuski defendants were charged in two separate indictments. The charges in the indictments include:
- Conspiracy in the second degree with the intent to commit murder.
- Attempted murder.
- Criminal possession of a weapon.
"These defendants allegedly committed months of reckless gun violence that terrorized their neighborhoods and communities," Bragg said. "We have absolutely no tolerance for this pervasive, indiscriminate gun violence, which jeopardized the lives of many innocent bystanders."
Tish said investigators used the NYPD's gang database to identify the suspects, 13 of whom are minors.
In recent months, the City Council has been pushing to abolish the database, arguing that it amounts to racial profiling. Tish says the arrests show it's a useful tool for identifying suspected criminals.
‘Residents living in fear’
What they're saying:
"These gang members unleashed a months-long cycle of gun violence that left East Harlem residents living in fear," Tisch said. "They opened fire near residential buildings, showed a complete disregard for innocent life, and fueled a dangerous pattern of retaliation that devastated this community."
***Watch the full press conference in the video player below:
"The suspects in this indictment were allegedly responsible for half of the shooting and shots fired incidents in a six-month period last year in a precinct in East Harlem," Adams said. "Just 16 people accused of 50 percent of an entire precinct’s shootings — let that sink in."