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Late on Thursday, June 17, officers responded to North Broadway following a gang assault where a man was hit in the head with a bottle and stomped on by a group of people that included known gang members, Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller said.
According to police, 11 adults and three teen offenders have been arrested and indicted on multiple charges for the attack, which left their victim with bleeding on the brain, several broken and missing teeth, and abrasions to his face, back, and arms.
On June 17, police said that there was a large gathering of people near the intersection of North Broadway and Ashburton Avenue in Yonkers to memorialize a member of the community member who had died.
At approximately 9 p.m. that night, police said that officers were called to the scene, where there was a report of the assault, which left the gang members’ victim unconscious before he was robbed.
Five of the alleged gang members were apprehended at the scene within minutes of the assault as the victim was transported to a regional medical center with life-threatening injuries that were stabilized.
Police said that the investigation determined that the victim entered a convenience store on North Broadway, when he was followed inside by three suspects, who engaged him in a verbal dispute.
It is alleged that once the man left the store, he was followed by the three gang members, who were joined by others.
Vance Major allegedly struck the victim with a liquor bottle, while another gang member ran up from behind and struck him in the head, knocking him to the ground. Multiple other suspects then proceeded to join in the melee, punching and kicking the man as he lay unconscious on the ground.
Among the items stolen from the victim were two gold chains and a wristwatch before police arrived.
According to police, “13 of the subjects arrested, charged, and or indicted in this investigation are members of the violent 300 Bloodhound Brims street gang aka ‘the hounds.’
“This gang is responsible for or involved in numerous violent activities in the City of Yonkers and surrounding municipalities, including felony assaults, robberies, and multiple acts of gun violence and criminal possession of a weapon,” they noted.
“(They are) most recently, believed to be associated with the public space shooting of a 6-year-old child on Ash Street on April 30 and the drive-by shooting of four victims on Elm Street on June 10.
“It has always been a priority of the Yonkers Police Department to combat gangs and gang violence in this City,” Mueller stated. “From the moment this heinous act took place, we set out to bring those responsible to justice.
“After a lengthy investigation involving Yonkers Detectives and Police Officers along with our partners in law enforcement at the County and Federal levels, we were able to identify 14 individuals who took part in this crime.
“This collaboration continued as we affected the arrests of these perpetrators and dismantled a violent street gang with a serious and lengthy criminal history,” he continued. “Let this be a warning to those who wish to take part in gang activity.”
Those arrested and charged, according to police:
- Vance Major, age 21, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on Saturday, July 17, and charged with two counts of gang assault;
- Develle Coates, age 19, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 17 and charged with two counts of gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon;
- Jaylen Reeves, age 18, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 17 and charged with gang assault;
- Peter Thompson, age 19, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 17 and charged with two counts of gang assault;
- Drayquan Green, age 20, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 17 and charged with two counts of gang assault;
- Latrell Murray, age 21, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on Wednesday, July 21, and charged with two counts of gang assault, two counts of robbery, and grand larceny;
- Dior Moore, age 18, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 21 and charged with two counts of gang assault;
- Timothy Whitney, age 22, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on Thursday, July 22 in Port Chester and charged with two counts of gang assault, two counts of robbery, and grand larceny;
- Darden Thomas, age 21, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 22 in New Rochelle and charged with two counts of gang assault, two counts of robbery, and grand larceny;
- Jahnal McNeal, age 18, was arrested by members of the Yonkers Police Department on July 22 and charged with two counts of gang assault;
- Perryon McKenny, age 18, was arrested by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Westchester Safe Streets Task Force on Thursday, July 22, and charged with two counts of gang assault;
- Three underage teenagers were also charged with two counts of gang assault, though their names have not been disclosed by police.
Each of the suspects was arraigned on Friday, Aug. 6 in the County Court of Westchester County. Additional information may be released as it becomes available, police noted.
“This was a shockingly brutal attack. These charges demonstrate our commitment to aggressively prosecute all violence, including gang violence, and to seek justice for victims of brutal attacks such as this one,” Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said.
“The people of Yonkers deserve safe streets and we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that everyone feels secure in their community.”
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