Nearly 2 dozen alleged Folk Nation gang members indicted in historic Brooklyn takedown

Elected officials are lauding the work of law enforcement in what is considered the largest gang takedown in Brooklyn history.

Nearly two-dozen suspects are now off the streets after being charged with dozens of shootings involving innocent bystanders.

22 alleged Folk Nation gang members indicted

Shootings that took place in the middle of the day, on busy sidewalks, and in grocery stores all allegedly involved Folk Nation, Brooklyn's decades-old street gang, officials said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, along with Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the NYPD, announced Thursday that 22 alleged members were indicted on murder, attempted murder and weapons charges, with 56 guns recovered.

"The largest takedown ever from this office of extraordinary hardworking public servants," Hochul said.

The district attorney said all of the defendants were arraigned this week on a 176-count indictment and are being held without bail or on high bail.

"When we get them off the streets, we'll prevent these continuous cycles of retaliation. So I think this is going to have tremendous impact," Gonzalez said.

According to the NYPD, Folk Nation is one of more than 500 gangs and crews currently operating throughout New York City.

"These are some of the most dangerous criminals in New York City," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.

Shooting the suspects were allegedly involved in

Among the 26 shootings, the suspects are accused of one at a birthday party in East New York in December 2025 that resulted in six teenagers shot, including three girls. The victims were 15 to 17 years old.

CBS News New York first reported a shootout in May 2024 between Folk Nation and another gang. It started in a smoke shop and spilled out to an East Flatbush sidewalk. Two women were knocked to the ground during the fighting.

Detectives accessed a group chat from the next day between the alleged gang members, in which they shared CBS News New York's coverage of the shooting and mocked the bystanders' injuries.

"Much of the fighting is generational. Young folks don't really know why they're fighting with some of the other gangs they're fighting with," Gonzalez said.

The NYPD says more than 60% of homicides and nonfatal shootings city wide are gang related.