‘Gap’ McDaniel Gets Life for 960 Gang Violence

BRIDGEPORT, CT – ZAEKWON McDANIEL, 27, of Waterbury, known on the streets as “Gap” and “Yung Gap,” will spend the rest of his life in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley handed down the sentence today, adding a mandatory 10-year consecutive term to the life bid, for his role as a leader of the brutal 960 gang. The conviction caps a years-long investigation into the gang’s reign of terror in Waterbury.

The sentencing follows a February 14, 2024, jury verdict that found McDaniel, along with Tahjay Love and Malik Bayon, guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity with special circumstances, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence. McDaniel also faced convictions for attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, plus a firearms charge. The collaborative effort bringing down McDaniel involved the FBI, ATF, Waterbury Police, and several other agencies.

The evidence presented at trial painted a chilling picture of calculated violence. On October 31, 2017, 960 members unleashed a drive-by shooting on Porter Street and Bank Street, targeting rivals. One person was wounded, and investigators recovered 17 shell casings from four different guns – one of which bore McDaniel’s DNA on the steering wheel. Less than a month later, on November 22, 2017, McDaniel, Love, and Bayon opened fire on Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos at a Waterbury restaurant. The victims’ car crashed into a house, killing both Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20. Crucially, shell casings from this shooting were linked to the October 31st attack, and McDaniel’s DNA was found on a gun magazine at the restaurant.

The brutality didn’t stop there. On December 29, 2017, McDaniel personally shot and injured the father of a rival gang member while the man was taking out the trash. Investigators found 960 members had filmed themselves wearing masks near the scene just minutes before the shooting. Beyond the shootings, prosecutors demonstrated how McDaniel and his crew glorified their criminal lifestyle through rap videos, openly boasting about gang violence, firearm possession, and drug dealing – the lyrics often directly referencing their crimes.

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who lead violent gangs and terrorize communities will be held accountable,” stated David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, in a press release. McDaniel has been detained since January 3, 2018, awaiting trial. Love and Bayon, also convicted, are now awaiting their own sentencing hearings. The investigation, led by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, included assistance from multiple other local law enforcement agencies.

The 960 gang’s activities have been a long-standing source of tension and violence in Waterbury. This conviction represents a significant blow to the organization, but authorities acknowledge the fight against gang violence is far from over. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal enterprises in Connecticut and beyond.