HARLEM — Dozens of gang members responsible for a "slew of bloodshed" in a violent rivalry that stretched over two years and resulted in the killing of a Harlem teen and an NYPD officer have been arrested, prosecutors said.
The Manhattan District Attorney indicted 37 members from two street gangs Thursday.
They included 20 members of the East Harlem-based East Army gang and 17 members of the West Harlem-based 600/Gutta Gang. They were charged with 66 crimes including attempted murder, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
The “bloody rivalry” resulted in a homicide, 14 shootings and four gang assaults, said Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.
They're also accused of murdering 18-year-old Jordan Barber, who was fatally shot outside of the Entertainers Basketball Classic tournament in June 2015 outside the Polo Grounds Houses, at 2931 Frederick Douglas Blvd.
Barber, an aspiring chef, was shot in the neck trying to break up a clash between two groups at the tournament. With his dying breaths he told his mother and brother "I love you," DNAinfo previously reported.
600/Gutta gang member Demetrius Washington, 26, was charged with murder for the shooting of Barber, officials said.
“As alleged, the slew of bloodshed carried out by those apprehended in this takedown indicates a blatant disregard for human life,” Bratton said.
“Harlem can breathe a sigh of relief in the wake of these indictments.”
The arrests are also connected to the October 2015 murder of NYPD Detective Randolph Holder by Tyrone Howard, who was previously indicted for the murder.
Howard, a member of the East Army gang, shot Holder in the head after fleeing from a shootout between individuals at East 102nd Street and stealing a bike, DNAinfo previously reported.
Officials said between February 2014 and May 2016 members in both gangs assaulted and attempted to kill rival gang members and bought and possessed illegal guns and ammunition in vicious attempt to control turf in Harlem and parts of uptown.
“While New York remains the safest big city in America, gang and gun violence still persist in certain pockets of our communities,” Vance said.
“Together with our partners in the NYPD, my office is moving proactively and with precision to eradicate what violence remains. Today’s indictments will help do just that, by removing the individuals whose bloody rivalry resulted in more than a dozen shootings in just two years.”
