18 Members Of Brooklyn Gang Indicted On Charges Of Shooting Up Streets During 'Hunting Expeditions'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Eighteen alleged members of a violent street gang have been indicted for terrorizing and shooting up the streets of Brooklyn during "hunting expeditions," authorities said Wednesday.

Charges against members of No Love City, a subset of the violent Folk Nation street gang, include conspiracy to commit murder, weapons possession and multiple shootings throughout Brooklyn, including one that left a 25-year-old man dead and another that left a 60-year-old woman paralyzed, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton called the group "stupid, mindless, vicious thugs," who terrorized Brooklyn, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported.

According to the investigation, the alleged members of NLC range in age from 18 to 27 years old, and operate mostly in the vicinity of Flatbush Avenue, Newkirk Avenue and Ditmas Avenue in Brooklyn.

The defendants allegedly agreed to commit murder and assault in order to maintain their dominance over their territory, particularly Flatbush, Thompson said.

Certain alleged gang members would go "riding out" in Canarsie -- which means they would go on hunting expeditions in vehicles and shoot people they suspected of being in rival gangs, Thompson said.

They would allegedly brag about past attacks and discuss possible upcoming ones on social media, authorities said.

"We must never allow violent street gangs to take over and terrorize our communities by going on hunting expeditions and roaming our streets shooting and killing people at will," Thompson said. "This indictment makes clear that we will not cede our streets to armed criminals but will do everything in our power to keep our streets safe for all."

"These defendants are not just crew members but part of a criminal enterprise that has been responsible for a significant amount of the violence which has plagued the Flatbush and Canarsie sections of Brooklyn over the last two years," Bratton said. "I commend the investigators and prosecutors who developed a substantial case against this group."

"The Gun Violence Suppression Division is using state-of-the-art policing to successfully investigate, arrest and prosecute violent criminals who attempt to wreak havoc on our city's streets,"  Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "NYPD will continue to quickly apprehend anyone responsible for gun violence in our city – and take every step to make sure they remain off our streets."

Fifteen of the alleged gang members have been arraigned and held without bail. If convicted, they face sentences ranging from 25 years to life for second-degree murder and up to 25 years for second-degree attempted murder.

They are each charged with second-degree conspiracy for which they face up to 25 years in prison.

One defendant is awaiting extradition from New Jersey and two others are still being sought by authorities.

The defendants who were arraigned were ordered to return to court on March 22.