18 alleged gang members connected to dozens of shootings and carjackings on Long Island arrested
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- They're terrorizing Long Island neighborhoods with shootings and carjackings, and now 18 alleged gang members are behind bars.
Investigators said they're part of a new neighborhood gang and one of their crimes made headlines in October: the shooting outside U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin's house in Shirley.
Video shows an armed carjacking of an innocent rideshare driver in Wading River. The gunmen gleefully grin as they steal the car.
They're part of a ruthless gang, say officials, responsible for 31 violent acts from Suffolk to Nassau since last year. The crimes also include a murder outside a Farmingville nightclub in full public view.
"In addition to the murder and the six shootings, we have five carjackings, one armed robbery," said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. "Fifteen separate stolen vehicles, we also have a home burglary with six French bulldog puppies and their mothers were stolen."
Tierney announced 18 arrests and credited a team approach from multiple agencies for crippling a relatively new gang based in the Mastic Shirley area called "No Fake Love," or NFL for short.
"They branded themselves as everybody killers, which means they were willing to kill anybody and everybody who disrespected them or stood in their way," said Tierney.
Incarcerated gang leaders who were allegedly directing the violence from behind bars and elevating the violence to innocent citizens were also arrested.
"There's no boundaries. It wasn't just another gang member. Whether it's stealing dogs or an innocent Lyft driver," said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. "So these individuals should never see the light of day."
Eight guns were seized, including the one used outside then-gubernatorial candidate Zeldin's home. The intended targets were two rival gang members hiding under his porch.
"I am very grateful to Suffolk County law enforcement and DA Ray Tierney for their efforts to not only solve the case of the shooting outside my family's home and holding the shooter accountable, but indicting 18 gang members in total," said Zeldin. "Their efforts and dedication to the rule of law will go a long way towards making our communities safer for all law-abiding New Yorkers."
Officials call the suspects members of a new regional gang. They're also part of the larger Bloods and Cryps.
A 14-year-old and 15-year-old are among those arrested. One was on leave from a juvenile detention center for Thanksgiving break. Instead of spending time with family, they were holding up a victim at gunpoint.
"We are going to make sure that people are held in on bail and that they're held responsible for their acts of violence and what they're doing to our communities," said Tierney.
One of the defendants applied for a legal gun license to supply gang members for violent crimes across Long Island.