BROOKLYN, NY—In a significant court ruling, four members of the Hoolie gang have been convicted for their roles in multiple shootings that occurred over a span of three years, including the tragic death of 22-month-old Davell Gardner Jr. during a Bedford-Stuyvesant cookout in July 2020. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the convictions today following a six-month jury trial.
The convicted individuals are Travis Scott, Dashawn Austin, Jayquan Lane, all from Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Akeem Artis. The charges against them include second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree reckless endangerment, and various degrees of criminal possession of a weapon and conspiracy.
This series of gang-related violence, primarily centered around the Roosevelt Housing Development, has had devastating impacts on the community. According to DA Gonzalez, the gang engaged in violent acts for retaliation and to demonstrate their dominance, leading to the death of young Davell and others.
Notably, on July 12, 2020, Dashawn Austin, while in a vehicle driven by Akeem Artis, fired shots into a park where a cookout was taking place, striking and fatally injuring Davell Gardner Jr. and wounding three others. Artis and Austin were convicted for their roles in this heartbreaking incident.
Additional charges relate to other violent acts, including the 2018 murder of Tyree Walker and the 2020 murder of Janile Whitted, both stemming from gang-related disputes.
Sentencing for the defendants is scheduled for early May 2024. The DA’s office and NYPD’s collaborative efforts were highlighted as pivotal in bringing these dangerous individuals to justice, reflecting the community’s ongoing battle against gang violence.