East Harlem Gang War Raises Concerns about NYC Youth Violence

A six-month gang war in East Harlem, New York City, accounts for 21 shootings—half of the shootings recorded in the single police precinct. Many of the alleged perpetrators are teenagers.

The feud between the Wuski and LA World gangs led to gunfire in playgrounds, buildings, courtyards, and crowded streets in East Harlem between March and September 2024, according to Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney. Yesterday, Bragg announced the indictment of 16 individuals for allegedly committing those 21 shootings—13 of the defendants were younger than 18 at the time of the shootings.

The district attorney claimed that the series of retributive shootings was sparked by the murder of an LA World gang member, and the conflict escalated from there. Many of the shootings occurred outside when the defendants allegedly indiscriminately fired toward groups of people in the street or in courtyards.

“LA World operated out of the New York City Housing Authority’s ('NYCHA') Lehman Houses, while Wuski operated out of NYCHA’s Johnson Houses,” according to a press release. “Nine LA World defendants and seven Wuski defendants are charged in two separate indictments, which total 108 counts. The charges in the indictments include conspiracy in the second degree with the intent to commit murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon, among other charges.”

Police detectives delved into the alleged gang members’ online presence during their investigation, uncovering screenshots of shooting reports and social media posts bragging about the violence. Some defendants also allegedly shared pictures of weapons they had purchased or were looking to sell.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams and New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted in statements that the violence by a few individuals in this conflict marred the city’s overall record-low shooting levels and month-over-month decreases in crime. Tisch added that precision policing in response to this targeted conflict was successful.

Part of that precision policing effort includes the use of a database of information on people—both youths and adults—who are members of or affiliated with gangs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said that the database currently lists 13,304 people and 507 criminal groups.

Local lawmakers and public defenders have criticized the database, however, contending that no one notifies people who are listed about their inclusion, and there is no appeals process to have one’s name removed, the New York Times reported.

“This database helped our investigators understand the members of these gangs, and, importantly, their rivalries,” Tisch said in a news conference. “Calls to get rid of this tool are dangerous. They fly in the face of public safety.”

The age of the defendants fits into a larger pattern seen in New York City. Police figures released in late 2024 showed a 25 percent increase in the number of minors, people under 18 years of age accused of major crimes—including murders, robberies, and assaults—in NYC in the past seven years. The number of young victims is also on the rise, up 24 percent in the first three-quarters of 2024 compared to the same period in 2018, according to the Times.

Looking at 2025 so far, there has been a 112 percent increase in shooters under the age of 18 compared with the same period in 2018, the Times noted. Nearly 20 percent of people who are wanted for or arrested in shootings in NYC are under 18.

Regarding the gang conflict, Bragg added, “These defendants allegedly committed months of reckless gun violence that terrorized their neighborhoods and communities. We have absolutely no tolerance for this pervasive, indiscriminate gun violence, which jeopardized the lives of many innocent bystanders. These indictments are necessary for public safety, but they alone are not enough. We will continue to work with our community partners and elected officials to make investments in youth who are at risk of gun violence so we can stop these patterns of violence before they occur. That dual strategy is how we have been able to significantly reduce shootings in Manhattan by 45 percent over the past three years, but there is still a lot more work to be done.”

Although crime committed by youths is still a very small fraction of overall crime, police officials warned that a rise in serious incidents involving minors could herald more serious future violence.

Overall, violent crime rates in the United States as a whole are down. FBI statistics showed that there were 2,500 fewer homicides in the United States in 2023 than in 2022 (according to final tabulations announced in late 2024), a decline of 11.6 percent. Violent crime fell 3 percent, and property crime decreased by 2.6 percent.