In a substantial crackdown on gang violence, Bronx authorities have indicted 19 alleged gang members for their involvement in a series of shootings that shook local communities. According to a press release from the Bronx District Attorney's Office, these individuals are facing charges for a murder and multiple shootings, in which three bystanders were injured.
Two gangs, known as 9Raq and Thirdside, have come under scrutiny for their alleged disregard for public safety. Streets were turned into battlegrounds, with gunfire erupting in broad daylight and causing harm not only to their targets, but also innocent passersby. "Two street gangs, 9Raq, and Thirdside, showed a callous disregard for human life by firing their weapons in broad daylight, on busy sidewalks. Yet again, we are talking about adolescents being killed, or facing prison if they are convicted of this violence. We must find solutions. I cannot abide losing a generation this way," as stated by the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
In response to these criminal acts, New York City Mayor Eric Adams praised the efforts of law enforcement for their focus on violent crime, which he states has led to a decrease in shootings and crime rates for the city. "Our relentless focus on violent crime has resulted in record low shootings and homicides for the first five months of the year, and major crime is down over six percent," said Adams.
NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch highlighted the destructive behavior of the accused, mentioning their brazen discussions of the shootings on social media platforms. "These defendants allegedly treated, our neighborhoods like battlegrounds – firing guns on busy streets, striking innocent bystanders, and bragging about it on social media," Commissioner Tisch expounded. "But thanks to a relentless investigation by the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division and our partners in the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, their reign of terror is over," as detailed by the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
The indictment includes charges like Second Degree Murder, weapon possession, and First Degree Conspiracy, among others. Arrests were made between June 18th and June 20th, with six defendants already behind bars and another four awaiting arraignment. The incidents in question occurred from May 2021 through May 2025, demonstrating a protracted pattern of violence.
Numerous shootings have been tied to the defendants, including an instance where two alleged Thirdside members fired shots from a moped, inadvertently hitting a 75-year-old man. Utilizing social media, some of the accused gang members boasted about their exploits. One such example would include a Thirdside defendant posting a drill rap music video on Instagram, admitting involvement in a shootout with rival gang 9Raq.
