NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — Thirty-four gang members from the “Slaughtery” and “1300” street gangs in the Bronx were indicted on Friday, charged with a slew of crimes that include numerous shootings that injured 10 innocent bystanders, the district attorney’s office said.
Alleged members of the Slaughtery gang—a play on Slattery Playground, where the gang holds sway—were indicted on a conspiracy of violence that includes 14 shootings across Fordham Heights, Kingsbridge, Highbridge and Morris Heights, and a slashing outside the Youth Park courtroom.
Seventeen men and three women, five of which are teens, are variously charged in a 176-count indictment that includes assault, attempted murder, conspiracy, robbery and weapons charges.
“It was like a Grand Theft Auto video game. Unfortunately, this is not a video game,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said Friday. “These cases are sad as well as shocking. These defendants are all young people, the oldest of which is just [26]-years-old.”
The arrests come after an 18-month joint investigation with the NYPD that shows there was a conspiracy to commit violence against other gangs over the last four years, resulting in the alleged shootings, prosecutors said.
It also points to the use of social media by gang members to threaten rival gangs and promote themselves. For example, Drill rap videos were made by Slaughtery members that mocked deceased rivals and bragged about shootings.
Assistant Chief of Detectives Jason Savino said that despite the public profile, pinning groups down is becoming harder.
“Just because of social media, Drill raps, you see little pockets form, they change their name routinely,” he said.
Savino also said that most of the 20 arrested are so-called “trigger pullers,” noting that getting these type of criminals off the street reduces shootings.
“When we extract the shooters of a gang, those shooting recidivists, if you will, we consequently see a sharp reduction in gun violence,” Savino said.
One of the shootings addressed in the indictment occurred in a Bronx schoolyard.
“Two of them, on a scooter, drove up to a New York City Public School, while children were playing on the playground and on the basketball courts, and they opened fire on that schoolyard,” Deputy Inspector Craig Edelman said.
“It will burn in my brain forever. The 911 caller in this incident was a 9-year-old girl, terrified. I couldn’t even imagine what she was feeling.”
Fourteen alleged members of the 1300 gang are variously charged on an 88-count indictment for allegedly conspiring to commit violent acts against rivals, including six shootings that wounded six bystanders, like a 73-year-old woman and teen girl.
“The gang used zero discretion,” Inspector Osvaldo Nunez said. “When, where or towards whom they used the violence.”
Nunez also said that the 1300 gang not having a sole rival compounded the violence—they drew conflict with multiple street gangs in the area.
The indictment comes after a near-two-year joint investigation with the NYPD, which sprung up after the violent robbery of off-duty officer Muhammed Chowdhury, who was jogging in Castle Hill when he was beaten and robbed.
Chowdhury was hospitalized for over two weeks and sustained life-altering injuries. Three of the alleged gang members indicted are charged in this crime.
“These arrests should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can terrorize our neighborhoods in any way: You will be held accountable for your criminal behavior,” NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said.