The recent midday murder at the busy 7th Avenue subway station on Saturday has pushed the city’s transit homicide count to seven since January. This is nearly double the amount from the same timeframe last year, and it seems clear politicians aren’t taking the necessary actions to truly change this concerning trend.
This troubling figure raises questions about Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his administration’s approach to public safety. He seemed to acknowledge this issue Monday, responding with a lengthy, uncomfortable silence before expressing that he was “heartbroken” over Darrel Rodriguez’s death while making vague comments about tackling gun violence.
For over ten years, progressive movements have emphasized “criminal justice reform,” which started with the controversial decision to stop prosecuting fare evasion. Yet often, those charged with fare-beating have histories that include more serious crimes.
The subsequent state and city initiatives—like Raise the Age, the no-bail law, and other measures—coupled with a decrease in NYPD personnel, have made it exceedingly difficult for law enforcement to curb crime effectively.
Additionally, there seems to be a refusal among progressives to address the issue of significant mental health problems, particularly among the homeless, which further compromises public safety.
Consequently, the number of repeat offenders arrested for felony assault has more than doubled since 2018.
A prime example is Rhammell Burke, who is accused of killing Ross Falzone at the 18th Street station in May. In the months leading up to the incident, he was arrested four times, including once for a violent outburst in the subway. Just hours before the murder, he had been released from Bellevue after being detained for erratic behavior.
Since 2020, the subway system has averaged eight murders annually, compared to just two per year from 1997 to 2019.
Sure, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has achieved some impressive feats, managing to bring the overall murder rate to an all-time low this year.
However, the rising number of transit killings indicates serious issues that the NYPD is currently struggling to address.
While Mamdani’s far-left supporters are upset that he has retained Tisch in her position, he has also gone back on earlier commitments to increase police personnel by 500 and has continued to negatively impact officer morale.
It seems unlikely that the subway will become any safer unless he decides to genuinely distance himself from far-left ideologies and prioritize public safety.
