Bushwick gang members charged with murder, conspiracy, robbery after takedown

December 12, 2012 Kings County District Attorney's Office
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Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly on Tuesday announced the takedown of 41 members of the TBO (True Bosses Only aka Team Bang Out) Gang, who terrorized the streets of Bushwick.  
Hynes said, “The TBO Gang brought fear to the people of Bushwick, roaming the streets, committing violent crimes.  This particular ‘street crew’ is unique, in a way that we have not seen before, in regards to how organized their hierarchy is.  We have to take down these gangs and street crews in the early stages before they become organized and more dangerous.”
          
Kelly said, “Once again we have young gang members using social media to boast about murder and mayhem, and once again we have New York City police officers ‘friending’ them to help end the violence.”
             
After a yearlong investigation, the 41 gang members were indicted and charged with committing a murder, attempted murders and numerous armed robberies and assaults in Bushwick between November 2010 and September 2012.   
             
The gang was created in 2003 and grew significantly over the years in size, recruiting new members, forming alliances with other gangs, and expanding their territory into Coney Island and Brownsville.  
As TBO grew in size, the gang created subsets, 730 Krookz and RGz, with members as young as 12 years old who had to commit crimes to earn promotions into the gang.

This indictment charges the TBO gang with the murder of Derrick Bethea.  On May 28, 2011, several TBO members searched for Bethea, a rival gang member, in retaliation for a prior attack on a TBO member, according to the indictment.  Upon learning of his whereabouts, eight TBO members descended on Bethea, and he was ultimately shot and killed.
           
The indictment also charges TBO with approaching a 19-year-old student on the street, displaying a gun and stealing his headphones in March 2012.  The victim fought back, so TBO member Lewis Davis allegedly shot him in the leg.  
Hours later, TBO member Sunday Medina posted a photo of himself on Facebook wearing the headphones with the tag, “Free Swipe,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.
           
In addition, members Jeremiah Davis and Shakein Cook are charged with attempted murder for shooting a 24-year-old man in the face after a dispute at a schoolyard basketball game in July of 2012.  The victim has a bullet lodged in his brain and may never walk again.

The TBO gang had an organized hierarchy with eight gang members at the top called the Top Gangsters, according to the District Attorney’s Office.  The next levels were the Top Gangsters, the Team Leaders, the Warriors and the Bangers, who were the foot soldiers.

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