Logo

More than a dozen reputed gangbangers eyed in a series of shootings were swept up in a massive takedown in Brooklyn Thursday — with police officials calling them “as dangerous a group as they come.”

Fourteen alleged members of the Babiiez street gang — a Flatbush-based subset of the Insane Crip Gangstas — face charges in an 81-count indictment including conspiracy to commit murder and weapons possession.

Some of the suspects, also associates of the Bergen Fam gang, were arrested in pre-dawn raids — two of which were witnessed by The Post in Brooklyn.

Inspector Jason Savino, commanding officer of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, said the busted gangbangers, who range in age from 16 to 21, “were as dangerous a group as they come.”


  The operation was led by the NYPD Gun Violence Suppression Division and involved almost 100 officers. Paul Martinka for NY Post The operation was led by the NYPD Gun Violence Suppression Division and involved almost 100 officers. Paul Martinka for NY Post

“They have been involved in 37 gun-related offenses, and they have no qualms about pulling a trigger,” Savino said. “They wake up in the morning and think about who they are going to shoot today.”

Those indicted include six juveniles and four people who are already in jail, officials said. The charges are related to 11 shootings with eight victims — six of whom were alleged rival gang members and two men who were not rivals.

Abu Gaye, Bobby Thomas, Jaden Occean and Krisalya Blount were busted Thursday — and six have not yet been arrested. 


  NYPD apprehension teams picked up violent individuals throughout Brooklyn on July 1, 2021. Paul Martinka for NY Post NYPD apprehension teams picked up violent individuals throughout Brooklyn on July 1, 2021. Paul Martinka for NY Post

A Post reporter and photographer were on hand as authorities arrested Gaye, 19, at his home on Eastern Parkway near Pacific Street in Ocean Hill.

NYPD officers arrested reputed 18-year-old Bergen Family gang member Abu Gaye without incident. Paul Martinka for NY Post

Gaye, who was wanted in a couple of shootings, was hauled out of his building in handcuffs, wearing a white shirt, maroon shorts and sneakers. 

The Post also witnessed the arrest of Bobby Thomas, 20.

The suspects were involved in shootings against rival gangs, including Folk Nation and 8 Trey, and nabbed as part of a long-term probe by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division.

“Every day, they wake up to benefit the gang,” Chief of Detectives James Essig told the officers from the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division as they assembled in Brooklyn around 4 a.m. before the takedown. “They are trigger-pullers that really put our great citizens, our people, in danger.”

Prosecutors said the Babiiez and Insane Crip Gangsta territory spans the Flatbush area, specifically East 21st Street — with buildings on that block referred to as “The Castle” and serving as the gang members’ hub.

The thugs allegedly boasted about the crimes on social media and some of the defendants were caught on Rikers Island phone calls discussing violent acts — and the possibility of being indicted, the Brooklyn DA’s Office said. 


  Bergen Family gang member Bobby Thomas was arrested on July 1, 2021. Paul Martinka for NY Post Bergen Family gang member Bobby Thomas was arrested on July 1, 2021. Paul Martinka for NY Post

Many of the shootings were also caught on surveillance video, including on July 26, 2020 when three of the charged — Amath Kebe, Malik Harry and Kymani Salkey — allegedly opened fire on a member of the rival Structure gang.

Video of the drive-by shooting at 8 p.m. allegedly shows the trio blasting bullets from a car on Madison Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The victim was struck in the leg, prosecutors said.

Thomas, Occean, Blount and Gaye each pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn Supreme Court Thursday afternoon.

In asking that the defendants be held on bail, prosecutor Jhounelle Cunningham detailed other disturbing details. She described Blount, 16, as a girlfriend of a jailed gang member — accusing her of luring “a rival member to a location where he would be shot.” Occean, 18, meanwhile, serving as the alleged gunman in three of the shootings charged in the indictment.

Judge Miriam Cyrulnik set bail for each of the defendants ranging from $25,000 to $500,000 — the heftiest amount in Gaye’s case.

About 100 detectives and supervisors took part in the takedown, according to officials.

The NYPD’s gun suppression unit initially focused its cases in Brooklyn, because there was an uptick in shootings, according to Savino.

“Now we are a citywide unit going after the most violent offenders,” he said. “Today, the NYPD’s best of the best went after the worst of the worst.”

The unit’s first case was against rapper Bobby Shmurda, who was released from prison in February. He had been in custody since his 2014 arrest on conspiracy and weapons possession charges.

Additional reporting by Paul Martinka and Steven Vago

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy