Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
“Warring gangs are not just a threat to themselves, but to all of us,” DA Katz said.
By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined by Mayor Eric Adams and City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, announced on Tuesday that a two-year investigation into gang violence in and around two Queens public housing developments led to the indictments of 23 alleged members of warring subsets of the Crips street gang, one based in the Astoria Houses, the other in the Woodside Houses.
The defendants were variously charged with conspiracy, attempted murder, reckless endangerment and gun possession in connection with a number of violent incidents, including shootouts in broad daylight on busy streets.
According to the charges, while both groups of individuals are Crips, the Astoria Crips belong to the “Rollin’ Crip” set, the Woodside Crips belong to the “8 Trey Crip” set. In addition to their Crip set, each group also identifies by their rap music group name—Astoria members are the “Hip Hop Boys,” and the Woodside members are the “Tru Cash Gettas.”
Prior to August 2018, the Woodside and Astoria housing development gangs were aligned. The split came on Aug. 4, 2018, when Isiah King of the Woodside Houses assaulted Djuan Price of Astoria Houses over a drug deal. The next day, Djuan Price and his brother, Elijah Price, went to the Woodside Houses development, each armed with handguns, looking to retaliate. The Price brothers were unable to locate King, but instead found King’s close friend and fellow gang member, Jaffvonta Reid, shooting him in the leg.
The feud, fueled by social media and rap videos taunting the opposition, has seen more than 18 acts of gun-related violence.
Numerous crimes charged in this indictment arose out of gun fights and shootings that took place in broad daylight, often in the presence of small children.
For example, On June 14, 2020, at approximately 6:35 p.m., in the vicinity of 48-16 Broadway, Woodside gang members Devine Moore and Michael Shepherd emerged from a bodega to confront a passing vehicle they believed to be occupied by a rival gang member. Shepherd lined up his shot standing alongside an ice cream truck where a little girl danced. She covered her ears from the crack of the gunfire.
In an act of retaliation, just one day later, on June 15, 2020, at approximately 7:15 p.m., Astoria gang members Jaheen Stephenson, Tahji Alexander and Delante Aiken walked into the Woodside housing development and fired at a group of Woodside gang members who were in the courtyard along with other residents, including several small children. Woodside gang member Devine Moore and an innocent bystander were hit.
Similarly, on Aug. 22, 2020, at approximately 7:38 p.m., Astoria gang members entered the Woodside houses and shot at Woodside gang members Hakeem Jamison and Timothy Brown, who were among the residents and their small children by the playground and on benches. As residents scattered, including small children on bicycles, Jamison and Brown returned fire. Remarkably, no one was injured.
In addition to shooting in the midst of civilians in broad daylight, this indictment charges multiple incidents where the defendants fired guns from the backs of motor scooters. In one such incident, on May 6, 2021, at approximately 9:53 p.m., Astoria gang members Yurhan Palacios and Miguel Tapia rode a scooter onto 31st Avenue and Palacios fired onto the sidewalk at Woodside gang member Hakeem Jamison.
“Warring gangs are not just a threat to themselves, but to all of us,” Katz said.
If convicted, the defendants could face up to 25 years in prison.
