Tue, May 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM UTC
The Brief
Following a year-long investigation, 15 alleged members of violent Coney Island-based street gangs were arrested.
The suspects are linked to over a dozen retaliatory shootings across Brooklyn since 2025.
They face a sweeping 113-count indictment with charges including second-degree murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a weapon.
BROOKLYN – An investigation that spanned more than a year ended with a major crackdown on gang violence in Brooklyn.
On Monday, the Brooklyn District Attorney, alongside NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, announced the arrest of 15 alleged members of a violent street gang based in Coney Island.
What we know
Authorities have linked the suspects to a severe spike in local crime, including more than a dozen shootings in the area since 2025. Seven victims were struck, with one man dying from his injuries.
They allegedly traveled from Coney Island to Downtown Brooklyn to commit acts of violence against rival gangs to maintain territorial dominance and retaliate against taunts.
Major incidents
April 2025: During an attack in rival “Folk Nation” territory in Flatbush, gang members allegedly fired at opposition members but accidentally struck and killed their own member, 17-year-old Tamari Carmona. Suspect Tyquan Holmes reportedly confessed via text to his mother days later, writing, “Somebody’s life got took,,, and I was envolved.”
May 2025: Fueled by a group chat egging him on to target a rival named “JC,” suspect Christopher Smart and three others allegedly fired at least 18 rounds at a Canarsie home. Just two minutes later, Smart texted, “Take that JC.” Anotehr suspect, Kristian Blackstock, was arrested blocks away with a 9mm pistol.
February 2026: Seeking revenge for the shooting of a fellow gang member earlier that day, suspects Isef Richards and Christopher Moore allegedly unleashed 30 rounds on a corner in East Flatbush. An innocent 16-year-old bystander was struck in the abdomen and hospitalized.
March 2026: After checking in for a supervised release appointment at the Center for Justice Innovation in Downtown Brooklyn, Christopher Moore allegedly spotted three rival gang members in the lobby. He reportedly followed them outside and opened fire at close range as they fled, missing the targets but leaving a bullet fragment lodged in a nearby commercial building.
Dig deeper
The 15 suspects are alleged members of two subsets of the 59 Brim Bloods in Coney Island known as “Fly Ooter Gang,” also known as FOG, and “Koney Sides.”
The indictment against them includes a total of 113 counts, including second and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Suspected gang members
The Source
Information from this article was provided by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.