More than two dozen members of the notorious Bloodhound Brims gang have been indicted in connection to a series of shootings on Long Island, including the tragic murder of an innocent elementary school teacher. The 31 alleged gang members face a total of 103 charges related to 34 incidents that occurred between August 2021 and the present, spanning Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the indictment, revealing that one of the defendants, Oumar Barry, also known as “Dolo,” has been charged with the murder of 44-year-old Kimberly Midgette. The incident took place on April 1, 2023, when Midgette’s car was mistakenly targeted in a drive-by shooting in Hempstead. Tragically, her 10-year-old daughter, who was in the backseat, witnessed the senseless act but remained unharmed.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly expressed her condolences, stating, “Kimberly Midgette was a beloved elementary school teacher who was senselessly shot and killed during a drive-by shooting as she sat in her car. Working with our law enforcement partners, we indicted defendant Oumar Barry – an alleged Bloodhound Brims member – for her murder.”
Of the 31 defendants, eight were arrested on Wednesday, while the remaining 23 were already in custody. Many of them are facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder. The extensive indictment also includes allegations of three armed robberies, possession of 12 illegal handguns, and the possession and sale of narcotics across Long Island.
The Bloodhound Brims gang is a subset of the larger New York Blood Brim Army, which itself operates under the nationwide Bloods street gang. According to Tierney, the national leader, Latique Johnson, known as “La Brim,” maintained communication with gang members in Long Island while incarcerated in California for federal RICO convictions related to his involvement in the gang. Authorities believe that Johnson was in contact with Barry, the gang’s Nassau County leader, and Jussiah Herbert, who heads the Suffolk County set.
Barry and Herbert allegedly collaborated, issuing orders to younger gang members to carry out the shootings in order to instill fear and maintain the gang’s reputation. Tierney explained that the Bloodhound Brims gang has sets throughout New York state, including Long Island, where they refer to themselves as “Afghans” or “‘Jets.” The gang operates with a structured hierarchy, documented commandments, oaths, rules, and a coded language distributed to members upon joining.
Johnson, as the national leader, promoted or expelled members based on their involvement in violent street activities. Tierney stated, “If you committed violence, you were promoted. If you refused or were not committing violence, you were drummed out of the gang.”
