This year, there’s been a staggering 62% rise in murders in Queens, an area once deemed the safest in the city. The NYPD has noted an increase across five districts in homicide cases.
So far, 21 people have lost their lives in the Queens North area, which encompasses eight precincts, including Forest Hills, Flushing, Astoria, and Elmhurst.
What’s equally concerning is that shooting incidents have also escalated by 60%, with casualties climbing from 20 to 31 this year alone.
A particularly shocking incident took place in Jackson Heights, where 38-year-old Edwin Cruz Gomez allegedly attacked a family after making inappropriate advances toward a teenage girl and her mother on September 13.
The intoxicated Honduran national engaged in a confrontation with the girl, her family, and others, as reported by the police.
Cruz Gomez then drove onto the sidewalk, “deliberately” running over the family members. He has since been charged with murder.
Cruz Gomez had previously been deported from the U.S. in 2005 but returned illegally later. Authorities noted that after a DUI arrest in 2013, ICE detained him but he was released into an alternative program and vanished.
Another tragic case involved 21-year-old Dashana Donovan, who was shot on September 12 near her home in Flushing. She had recently ended an abusive relationship with a man from South Carolina, who is now the main suspect in her murder.
Her mother, Helena Hypolite, expressed her heartbreak, recounting how she tried to keep her daughter safe from her ex, who surprised her outside their home.
Hypolite stated, “She screamed and ran home. He took her down and shot her five times in the bathroom. He came to kill her.”
The suspect, whose identity hasn’t been disclosed, has a history of violent behavior, having previously severely injured Donovan.
As of now, no arrests have been made in this case. Hypolite lamented, “I miss my daughter. I will never be the same again. Every time the doorbell rings, my 6-year-old asks, ‘Is it Deshanna?'”
In another incident in the usually calm 112th precinct of Forest Hills, 19-year-old Gianrios was found shot dead on September 28, with police still seeking leads on his killer.
The recent increase in violence might be linked to law enforcement becoming more aggressive in areas with higher crime rates, as suggested by Michael Alcazar, a retired NYPD detective.
“Historically, Queen’s North precincts have been seen as relatively safe, and many residents might not be accustomed to frequent shootings and murders,” Alcazar remarked. “It’s possible that violent crime is being pushed from other areas that are actively targeting high-crime spots.”
Authorities have reassigned detectives from specialized units focused on gangs and drugs to other areas, altering their role from proactive prevention to reactive measures.
NYPD spokesperson Brad Weeks noted that Queen’s North has the third-lowest murder and shooting rates in the city, behind Manhattan South and Staten Island.
Weeks assured that the NYPD would continue deploying necessary resources to maintain safety and reduce gun violence across the city.
Meanwhile, Councilman Robert Holden criticized the increase in crime, attributing it to a lack of police presence. He remarked, “I’ve never seen this during such a troubling time, and I’ve been around for various difficult periods.”
