NYPD gang takedown: 32 charged in Brooklyn in connection with 19 shootings

BROOKLYN (PIX11) — NYPD officers swept into action early Tuesday and busted alleged gang members as part of a sweeping takedown.

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office charged 32 alleged gang members of the Woo and Choo gangs in connection with 19 shootings, including one that injured a 3-year-old girl as she left day care. Two people also died because of the shootings.

“With this successful takedown we aim to incapacitate two violent gangs that have terrorized parts of Brownsville for too long,” DA Eric Gonzalez said. “Their senseless and indiscriminate gun violence upended the sense of safety for many residents and wounded a number of innocent bystanders, including a 3-year-old-girl who was leaving her day care center.”

Daleek Habersham allegedly shot the child on March 25, officials said. The girl, who was holding her dad’s hand, was shot in the shoulder. Habersham allegedly shared a screenshot of news coverage the next day.

“Did bad,” he wrote, according to authorities.

The DA’s office said there are 106 charges being filed against 13 alleged WOOO members and 19 alleged CHOO members. They include second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, attempted first degree assault, second-degree assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and first-degree reckless endangerment.

More than 150 officers met before dawn on Tuesday and donned protective gear to make the arrests. They rolled out and arrested 14 of the people named in the indictment, including Lawrence Cook, who’s suspected of firing a shot outside a doctor’s office. NYPD Deputy Chief Jason Savino described the suspects as “the trigger pullers.”

Chief Savino said the Brownsville community will see some relief now that the gang members are off the streets, and he has statistics to prove it.

“What we saw as a result of these takedowns, we see a decline in violence not only in that area but city-wide,” said Chief Savino.

NYPD Captain Ryan Gilis, a 15-year veteran, was part of Tuesday’s takedown. He and other officers had investigated for about two years.

“These individuals that we investigated in these gang conspiracy case that we did are not your typical people going to a 9-to-5 job, worried about ‘hey, how am I going to make a buck?’ These people wake up in the morning and the one thought is ‘how am I going to eliminate my opposition?’ It’s troublesome,” he said. “They don’t care who gets in the way, they don’t care where they do it. They just want to eliminate the opposition by any means necessary.”

The gangs operate out of a number of housing complexes in Brownsville. Their rivalry and proximity led to “consistent and frequent violence,” officials said.

“We pray every day and every night, and we pray for the community as a whole,” said Kay Von, a long Brownsville resident.

Von has been praying hard the streets of the neighborhood are safer, especially after a major gang takedown by the NYPD.

On July 5, 2020, Corey Henry, an alleged CHOO member, has been accused of fatally shooting WOOO member Jahrell Gause, authorities said. On July 12, 2022, alleged CHOO member Shakur Bartley allegedly fatally shot WOOO member Tyrie McLaughlin.

Alleged WOOO Members