Several news reports have confirmed that a war between two Brooklyn-based gangs, WOOO and CHOO, has prompted an indictment of 32 members of the two gangs on 106 charges, including 19 shootings.
Out of the almost 20 shootings, 2 were fatal and in one of the shootings, a 3-year-old girl was shot. In another shooting, a 22-year-old cab driver was shot while listening to another drill artist’s music. According to the NYPD, both gangs were responsible for 14 injuries and 27 crimes between 2020 and 2022.
According to police, the war between the two factions started in the summer of 2020 with the murder of Shamel Boomer. Even though it was discovered that another gang killed Boomer, the CHOOs openly celebrated his death.
“These are the trigger-pullers. These are that small group of individuals as reckless as we’ve ever seen,” said Deputy Chief Jason Savino during a press conference. “You witnessed the videos. It paints a picture. These gangs would shoot at their opposition in the vicinity of high schools, day-care centers, MTA buses and densely and highly populated areas with no regard for anybody in the area.”
Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez says that the Brownsville-based factions have terrorized the Brooklyn neighborhood as he commended their arrests.
“Removing these individuals from our community will have the desired impact of reducing…trigger pullers from our neighborhoods, making Brownsville a safer place to live with many, many hard-working residents and families who call Brownsville home,” Gonzalez said. “The shootings and the disregard for human life by these gang members didn’t just cost the lives of fellow rival gang members, but also terrorized law-abiding citizens and residents of our community.”
The suspects arraigned on Tuesday(November 17), with two CHOO members having received murder charges for killing two WOOO members. Of the 32 arrests, 13 of them are suspected WOOO members and 19 suspects are alleged CHOO members.
