Nassau County "taking the fight to the gangs" with nearly 3 dozen arrests in 1 week, officials say

A crackdown on gang violence in Nassau County is delivering results with nearly three dozen arrests in the last week, police said.

Police said they're planning another takedown in the coming weeks.

35 arrested in weeklong sweep

Nassau County Police said they've arrested 35 men and women in the last week, including 15 members of rival gangs.

"Keith Astrada, just over a week ago, stabbed somebody right in the chest," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. "The next four young ladies were in a fight with another girl, gouged out her eye."

The weeklong sweep netted 10 illegal firearms, metal knuckles, drug scales and street drugs, police said.

County Executive Bruce Blakeman, running for governor on a law-and-order platform, pointed to enforcement like this.

"We are taking the fight to the gangs," Blakeman said. "If you want to operate in Nassau County, we are going to come after you. We are going to come after you with every asset that we have."

"This is our gang. Our gang will win every single time," Ryder said.

Police said they're going after older gang members who are recruiting kids to carry out crimes.

They are warning parents to look out for the telltale signs of gang affiliation, including colors and tattoos.

Eisenhower Park shooting was "a one-off," police say

Police said the round-up was already underway before last week's gang-related shooting in Eisenhower Park, Nassau's largest public park, where a 15-year-old was killed and two men injured.

Police call that violence "a one-off."

"That'll never happen again. The county executive has authorized extra resources in the park," Ryder said. "You will see the horses going around. You'll see quads out there, plain clothes and a uniform presence in the park."