Rival Groups in Lehman and Johnson Houses Allegedly Engaged in Months of Retributive Shootings; Responsible for 50% of Shootings in the 23rd Precinct over a Six-Month Period
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch announced the indictment of 16 individuals for allegedly committing 21 shootings over several months. As alleged, this series of retributive violence was sparked by the murder of an “LA World” gang member, which eventually morphed into significant conflict between the LA World and “Wuski” gangs.
Nearly all of the shootings occurred between March and September of 2024. From March 25 to September 30, 2024, the conflict between LA World and Wuski accounted for 50% of shooting incidents in the NYPD’s 23rd precinct, located in East Harlem. Fifteen firearms were recovered throughout the investigation.
LA World operated out of the New York City Housing Authority’s (“NYCHA”) Lehman Houses, while Wuski operated out of NYCHA’s Johnson Houses. 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. [1]
“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% over the past three years, but there is still a lot more work to be done,” said District Attorney Bragg.
“We are not going to stand by while a small number of violent offenders terrorize our neighbors and our children. The suspects in this indictment were allegedly responsible for half of the shooting and shots fired incidents in a six-month period last year in a precinct in East Harlem. Just 16 people accused of 50 percent of an entire precinct’s shootings — let that sink in. This is what we are talking about when we say that there are often a small number of people who are causing a large share of crimes across our city, and that’s why this indictment and the removal of these criminals from our streets is vital in making our city safer,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We are taking action and delivering results, including month after month decreases in crime. I want to thank DA Bragg and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, as well as Police Commissioner Tisch and the brave men and women of the NYPD, for their relentless efforts combating these violent criminals. Their partnership and hard work are helping to ensure New York City continues to be the safest big city in America.”
“These gang members unleashed a months-long cycle of gun violence that left East Harlem residents living in fear,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “They opened fire near residential buildings, showed a complete disregard for innocent life, and fueled a dangerous pattern of retaliation that devastated this community. We’re seeing record-low shootings across the city — and it’s because of targeted cases like this, where precision policing delivers real results. Thanks to the dedicated work of NYPD investigators and our strong partnership with the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we’ve brought these violent offenders to justice.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record, on March 22, 2024, XAVIER ROBERTS and another LA World gang member shot at a rival in the “Mac Ballers” gang near the Wagner Houses in East Harlem, firing multiple gunshots and hitting the glass wall of a nearby bus stop. Many Wuski members are also associated with or consider themselves to be part of the Mac Ballers.
On March 23, XAVIER ROBERTS and another LA World gang member allegedly committed a second shooting against Mac Baller members at the Moon Rock Smoke Shop at East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue, firing multiple gunshots at close range, and ultimately striking and injuring one individual.
The next day, on March 24, Harry Mendoza and 16-year-old Ashley Ballard were both murdered at Lexington Avenue and East 128th Street.
On March 25, members of the LA World crew, including alleged member JAHSON JORDAN and the brother of Harry Mendoza, allegedly committed a series of four shootings throughout East Harlem in retaliation. One of the locations LA World targeted was the Johnson Houses, where members of the Wuski crew are based. Throughout the next several months, the retribution and retaliation between LA World and Wuski significantly escalated.
Individuals from both gangs exchanged messages on Instagram and Telegram planning and discussing shootings. They also frequently shared screenshots of Citizen App notifications about the shootings with each other.
In one audio message, alleged Wuski member PRINCE BOUCHE said, “I need every Lehman member to die…when we get the one we want we’re going to be good bro.” Another alleged Wuski member, AADEN WILLIAMS, sent several text messages after a shooting indicating he fired shots by saying, “I just got busy word to my dead, I threw 7…I threw on all of them, threw off the hip. I threw a lot so I hope I tagged one.”
At one point, alleged LA World member XAVIER ROBERTS, who is charged with committing five shootings within a single week in March 2024, stated in a group Telegram chat with several other defendants that, “everyone, we gotta sturdy up. My lawyer told me they’re looking into the movies [shootings] because it’s been a lot since he died,” and that “the opps [rival gangs] are scared right now. Look what we’re doing.”
Some of the defendants would also share pictures of weapons they had purchased or were looking to sell.
Many of the shootings occurred outside as the defendants indiscriminately fired towards groups of people on the street or in NYCHA courtyards.
On March 25, at 12:30 a.m., alleged LA World member XAVIER ROBERTS fired five times into the lobby of a building in the Johnson Houses, piercing the front door window.
On April 1, at approximately 1:00 a.m., alleged Wuski members ANDRE CUMBERBATCH, RAHMEL FIELDS and RICKY LAMBRIGHT went to the Lehman Houses and stole a wreath of flowers from a memorial dedicated to Harry Mendoza, whose murder had sparked the retaliatory gun violence. Members of Wuski celebrated stealing the wreath and shared videos and pictures with other individuals, including videos where Wuski members burned and further destroyed the wreath.
Later in the morning of April 1, at approximately 10:42 a.m., CUMBERBATCH and LAMBERT fired multiple shots at a group of LA World rivals who were sitting near a playground at the Lehman Houses.
On April 9, alleged LA World member KARLTON ALVERANGA and another unapprehended individual fired multiple gunshots towards a playground at the Johnson Houses.
On May 17, alleged Wuski member AADEN WILLIAMS fired multiple gunshots near the Lehman Houses after sending a text message stating that another unapprehended individual got WILLIAMS a firearm so he could “spin,” or look for rivals.
On May 30, alleged Wuski member RAHMEL FIELDS, with AADEN WILLIAMS at his side, fired multiple gunshots across Park Avenue, near the Lehman Houses, towards multiple people on a Citibike.
On July 11, alleged Wuski member PRINCE BOUCHE and alleged LA World member TASHEEM BROWN engaged in a shootout while in the vicinity of White Park in East Harlem.
On September 29, alleged LA World member JALEN WHITE fired shots at a group of people at the King Towers on Saint Nicholas Avenue.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant D.A.’s Rachel Movius and Sean Flatow in the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Christopher Prevost (Deputy Chief of the Trial Bureau) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). VCEU Investigative Analysts Cristina Valianatos, Jonathan Diver, Nicole Boudrieau, Eva Melnikova, Rohaan Vaswani, Jennifer Giambruno, and HTAU Digital Forensic Examiners Laura Estevez and Boris Vestfrid are also assisting with the case.
D.A. Bragg thanked Detective Leeani Capote and Sergeant William Busch of the Gun Violence Suppression Division and the many dedicated detectives and supervisors of the 23, 25, and 28 Precinct Detective Squads who made invaluable contributions to the case.
[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.
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