The New York Police Department (NYPD) shared on Monday that mass shootings in the city have drastically decreased this year, reaching historic lows. Additionally, crime statistics from the subway in October matched the lowest figures recorded back in 2020 when the city was largely empty due to the pandemic.
From January to October, there were reports of 744 shooting victims in 596 incidents. This surpassed the previous record from 2018 when 768 people were shot across 641 incidents.
“We’re not just breaking records; we are crushing it,” Police Chief Jessica Tisch remarked during a graduation ceremony for new officers.
She attributed these achievements to the strategic policing efforts and the dedication of the NYPD officers, stating, “This is no luck or coincidence. It is a direct result of our precision policing strategy.”
The number of homicides this year also matches the low set in 2018, with a total of 18 reported so far—almost half of last year’s 35 reported homicides for the same time frame.
In terms of traffic offenses, last month also saw an all-time low.
Specifically, there were 154 felonies reported on the railways in October, which ties with the previous record from 2020, coinciding with the period of decreased ridership due to COVID-19.
That same month in 2020, only one subway homicide was recorded, involving a violent incident at the Jay Street Metrotech station. Comparatively, in October 2020, police reported a stabbing death on the Chambers Street platform.
Alongside these statistics, various crimes in the subway last month included 47 felony assaults, 69 cases of grand larceny, and 36 burglaries.
Overall, hate crimes across the city decreased by 22% compared to last year, with 47 incidents reported. However, there was an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes, linking back to a single incident perpetrated by a repeat offender.
Notably, incidents targeting Jewish individuals increased, reflecting wider trends following recent tensions abroad.
A slight drop was noted in reported anti-Semitic crimes, down to 29 last month from 31 in October 2024.
The rate of street robberies fell by about 12%, marking the lowest figures for October since 2020.
This year has seen a 7% decline in felony assaults, a welcome change after four years of rising numbers. The NYPD noted that nearly 40% of these assaults have connections to domestic violence.
The data also showed a nearly 9% decrease in robberies last month, contributing to the overall downward trend in crime rates.
However, reported rapes went up by nearly 9%, attributed in part to new legislative changes that expanded the definition of rape.
Overall, crime rates in residential areas dropped by nearly 5% this year, with the NYPD attributing the success to a targeted crime reduction strategy.
This plan involves stationing up to 1,800 officers across 54 zones in the city, focusing on urban areas, subways, and other high-traffic locations.
In previous years, the deployment was significantly less, illustrating a concerted effort for increased safety. Additionally, 57 gang-related arrests and over 4,600 illegal firearms seized showcase ongoing enforcement efforts since January.
“Safer cities have always been the North Star of our administration,” Mayor Adams stated, complimenting the NYPD’s efforts in achieving further reductions in crime.
