NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Twenty-one alleged members of the violent Folk Nation street gang have been indicted on a long list of charges in Brooklyn, authorities announced Tuesday.
The charges include murder, attempted murder and weapons possession.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez says the suspects have been involved in a number of violent incidents on the borough's streets, mainly in Flatbush and East Flatbush.
During a press conference Tuesday, he showed video from one alleged incident in which suspects were seen loading guns on the subway.
Gonzalez and NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said one murder involved a father and his two sons, and featured the father teaching the sons how to avoid being arrested.
"These defendants terrorized the streets of Brooklyn by opening fire on perceived rivals and recklessly firing their guns, including in broad daylight, endangering innocent bystanders," said Gonzalez at the press conference. "In one instance, an innocent 15-year-old boy was killed when he was mistaken for a rival gang member."
He said 19 of the defendants were arraigned last week in Brooklyn Supreme Court.
"This group posed a significant threat to the members of our community and were known to be involved in serious criminal activity including attempted murder, illegal guns and robberies," O'Neill added. "The outcome of this investigation is testament to the dedicated investigators of our department and its law enforcement partners.?
The indictment alleges that during the length of the conspiracy, which continued from July 21, 2016 to June 27, 2019, the defendants agreed to commit murder, assault, weapons possession and other crimes to build and protect the dominance of their gang.
Armed expeditions against rival gangs, it alleges, twice resulted in death.
Gonzalez said the suspects range in age from 17 to 41.
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