NYPD: Fewest Shootings and Murders in Recorded History and Major Crime Drops 6.5% January Through October

By Williamsburg 365 Staff

New York City recorded the fewest shooting incidents, shooting victims and murders in its recorded history for the first ten months of the year, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Monday.

According to the NYPD, there were 230 murders through October, down 15.7% from 273 at this point last year. That beats the old record low of 244, set in 2017. There were 536 shooting incidents, down 10.4% from 598, and 649 people were shot, down 13% from 746. Both of last year's numbers had been record lows. Compared to 2021, 939 fewer people have been shot so far this year.

"In the first ten months of this year, New York City experienced historic lows in shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders, with major crime declining in all five boroughs," Tisch said. "Those extraordinary results are only possible because the members of the NYPD continue to execute on our data-driven strategy with skill and precision: identifying the drivers of violence, removing guns from our streets, and going after the gangs."

In Williamsburg's 90th Precinct, the latest CompStat report, covering the year through November 8, shows major crime down 5.2%, from 1,461 to 1,385 complaints. Robberies fell 25.8%, from 186 to 138. Grand larcenies dropped 7.8%. Hate crimes fell 30%, from 20 to 14. There were three murders, the same as last year. Burglaries rose 5.3%, car thefts went up 15.3%, and shooting incidents went from five to six

In the neighboring 79th Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, major crime is down 9.1%, from 1,264 to 1,149. Murders fell from eight to three, and shooting incidents dropped from 16 to nine. Felony assaults fell 11.2%, burglaries 14.4% and robberies 15.1%. Hate crimes dropped from 19 to 10.

October itself was mixed. There were 47 shooting incidents, two more than last October, and 55 people shot, up from 52. Both were last year's record lows, and this October was still the second-lowest on record. Murders fell to 19 from 20.

Detectives have carried out 26 gang takedowns this year, and police have seized more than 4,500 illegal guns.

Major crime dropped 8.6% in October, from 10,670 to 9,750, and 6.5% for the year, from 102,726 to 96,059. That is 6,667 fewer crimes, the biggest year-to-date drop in 17 years, the department said. Crime fell in all five boroughs. The Bronx led with an 11.3% decline.

Burglary is down 14.2% for the year and 23.1% in October, with drops in every borough. Queens saw the largest decline, 25.2%. Residential burglaries fell 18.7%, about 1,050 fewer break-ins. Robbery fell 12.3% for the year and 15.5% in October. Auto theft fell 11.2% for the year. Grand larceny, which makes up nearly 40% of all major crime, fell 6.1% for the year and 11.3% in October. Retail theft dropped 12.2%.

Brooklyn had 61 murders so far this year, a record low for the borough. The old record was 83, set last year.

Felony assaults rose slightly, up 0.9% for the year and 3.1% in October. Domestic violence accounts for about 40% of those cases. Assaults on police officers and other public workers rose 7.6%. Police have made arrests in 78% of felony assault cases, and 379 people have been arrested three or more times for felony assault this year.

In public housing, major crime fell 7.4% for the year and 17.4% in October. Shooting incidents dropped from 119 to 78, people shot from 136 to 87, murders from 25 to 18 and robberies to 584. All four are record lows. Brooklyn public housing had 30 shooting incidents, down from a record low of 43 last year. The Bronx had zero shootings in public housing in October.

Subway crime went the other way. Major crime in the transit system is up 2.2% for the year and 12.7% in October. Felony assaults and thefts of unattended items are driving most of it. Of the 749 people arrested for major crimes in the subway this year, 416 had been arrested at least three times before. Even so, robberies and grand larcenies in the subway hit record lows, and the department said this is the second-safest year in transit in 15 years, not counting the pandemic.

Since the NYPD's winter violence plan began on September 28, major crime in the targeted zones fell 33.2% and shootings fell 60% during deployment hours. In youth safety zones near schools, youth crime is down 50%.

Hate crimes are up. There were 530 confirmed hate crimes so far this year, up 15.2% from 460. Anti-Jewish hate crimes rose to 279 from 268. In October, 26 of the 45 confirmed hate crimes were against Jews, the same number as last October.