Brooklyn prosecutors and the NYPD say they have taken a major bite out of Brownsville gun violence, announcing Wednesday that 36 people tied to two rival street gang alliances are now facing sweeping indictments linked to dozens of shootings across the borough. The two cases together allege 36 shootings, including one homicide, and carry a total of 188 counts after what officials describe as a multiyear investigation into crews operating out of Brownsville public housing complexes.
At a news conference covered by ABC7 New York, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch identified the alleged rival alliances as WOOO and CHOO and said the case grew out of a long-running probe. Tisch called the indictments “the culmination of a long-term investigation” and praised what she described as focused policing paired with sustained prosecutorial work.
Indictments and counts
According to a press release from the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, the two indictments together contain 188 counts. Prosecutors say 16 defendants are tied to WOOO and 20 to CHOO. The filings allege that the defendants’ conduct led to 11 victims across 36 shooting incidents, with one person killed and ten others wounded, and that many of the alleged acts grew out of territorial disputes and cycles of retaliation.
How prosecutors say the alliances operated
Authorities describe WOOO and CHOO not as single, tightly organized gangs but as looser alliances of smaller neighborhood crews that banded together to claim territory and boost their reputations. Investigators told ABC7 New York that members often boasted about alleged shootings and rivalries in music videos and on social media, and that many of the charged incidents were captured on surveillance cameras scattered around the area.
Notable incidents cited in the indictments
The DA’s office says the indictments trace a series of violent episodes, including a June 29, 2025 shooting in front of Riverdale Towers that left a man identified as 34-year-old Tahriq Thompson dead. Another cited incident is a 2023 shooting at a playground near the Van Dyke Houses that sent children running for cover. Prosecutors also point to a 2023 barbershop shooting that wounded an innocent bystander and a 2024 downtown Brooklyn assault that left a teenager with serious injuries, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office.
Arraignments and next steps
The defendants have been arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court, and prosecutors say the cases will be handled by the DA’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau as they move through discovery and pretrial stages. Local coverage reported that several defendants appeared before different Brooklyn Supreme Court justices as the calendars were set for upcoming hearings, with more dates expected to follow. Univision 41 Nueva York also reported on the arraignments and highlighted some of the names listed in the charging documents.
Legal implications
An indictment is a formal accusation, not proof of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Courts emphasize that an indictment’s basic role is to bring charges into court so a case can proceed, rather than to serve as evidence by itself, according to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.
Community impact
Prosecutors cast the Brownsville takedown as part of a broader push to cut gun violence in Brooklyn, arguing that targeting alleged shooters and their crews is key to keeping streets safer. At the same time, community leaders and anti-violence advocates quoted in local coverage have stressed that arrests alone will not solve the problem, calling for sustained investment in youth programs, mental health services, and economic opportunities alongside enforcement. As the criminal cases play out, those voices are pushing for both accountability in court and more resources for the young people most at risk, Univision 41 Nueva York reported.
