14 ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS IN BROOKLYN CHARGED IN 20 SHOOTINGS OVER 2 YEARS
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 7:32PM ET
NEW YORK (WABC) -- In Brooklyn, more than a dozen alleged gang members have been charged in connection with violent crimes in Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay.
Prosecutors say 14 suspects are collectively responsible for a wide variety of crimes between 2022 and 2024 and they are linked to one murder along with a rash of shootings that left nine people injured.
In February 2022, a member of a Brooklyn street gang burst into a Coney Island apartment building. Officials say two rival gang members, including Omogoriola Omotosho, were chasing him and started shooting into the lobby. Surveillance video shows residents of all ages hit the deck for cover.
In June 2023, Omotosho, 21, was at a shoe store in Bay Ridge for the release of new sneakers when he spotted a rival gang member inside the store. When the rival exited, surveillance video shows Omotosho opened fire, striking two bystanders, one of which was waiting in line to buy sneakers, according to prosecutors.
On Wednesday, Omotosho and 13 other alleged members of a subset of the Bloods gang were charged in a 129-count indictment with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, weapons possession and other charges.
"Today's takedown highlights the NYPD's relentless fight against dangerous street gangs that terrorize our neighborhoods with gun violence," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. "Several of the defendants are shooting recidivists - people who have already proven they are willing to pick up the gun and pull the trigger again and again."
While the rivalry between the defendants' gangs and and their rival has been longstanding, it intensified after the April 29, 2021 homicide of Davonte Lewis outside his high school in Midwood, and has grown into a years-long war, officials say.
According to the indictment, the defendants signaled their intent to murder opposition gang members through music videos, recorded jail conversations, cellphone evidence, and Facebook and Instagram posts.
Text messages among the defendants allegedly indicates their intent to not just intimidate their rivals but to murder or seriously wound them. One such text message conversation following a May 29, 2022 shooting that resulted in no injuries criticized the shooters for failing to place the intended victims in "critical condition" like they were supposed to.
"Gun violence hit a record low last year because of strategic enforcement and gang takedowns like today's, which removed 14 alleged shooters responsible for a staggering level of violence in Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay. These defendants allegedly carried out 19 separate shootings, murdered a rival, and wounded innocent bystanders-lawlessly endangering our communities. We've shown that smart, focused enforcement works, and we will continue taking bold action to keep violent criminals off our streets and protect our neighborhoods," Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said.
