by Matthew Saffer
News Partner 13WHAM
ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced reported gun violence in New York state is at its lowest point since the state started tracking the data in 2006.
Shooting incidents with injury declined 26 percent through September, compared to the same nine-month period last year, as reported by the 28 police departments outside of New York City that participate in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative.
There were significant decreases reported across Syracuse, Utica, Rochester, Niagara Falls and Long Island.
The 26 percent decline reflects 476 shooting incidents with injury from Jan. 1-Sept. 30, compared to 646 incidents from the same period last year, and represents the fewest reported since the state began tracking the data in 2006. At that time, only 17 police departments reported the data and received state funding to reduce gun and violent crime. GIVE provides nearly $36 million to 28 police departments, as well as district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices, in 21 counties outside New York City. The following police departments reported particularly significant declines.
Syracuse: 29 percent
Utica: 52 percent
Rochester: 38 percent
Troy: 48 percent
Niagara Falls: 40 percent
Nassau County, Hempstead, Suffolk County (Long Island): 36 percent
Shooting incidents with injury, shooting victims and shooting homicide data for each of the 28 police departments participating in GIVE are available on the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website.
In addition to the collective decrease in gun violence in GIVE communities, the New York City Police Department reported a nearly 9 percent (723 v. 791) decrease in shooting incidents through Oct. 13.
Overall crime outside New York City also has declined. The 57 counties outside of the five boroughs collectively reported a 9 percent decrease in index crime during the first five months of 2024, the most recent data available, when compared to the same time in 2023. There are seven index crime categories that are used to gauge overall crime trends: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. The most significant declines were reported in motor vehicle theft (-27 percent), followed by rape (-14 percent), and murder (-12 percent) when comparing Jan. 1-May 31 to that five-month period last year. The NYPD also reported a 2 percent decrease in crime complaints through Oct. 13.
Earlier this month, Hochul also announced another record-level state investment to further improve public safety: $35 million to strengthen the law enforcement response to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence and better address the needs of survivors. DCJS will administer $5 million to the five New York City District Attorneys’ Offices, and $23 million to law enforcement agencies and service providers in 20 counties outside of the five boroughs to implement the Statewide Targeted Reduction in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) initiative. Up to $7 million will allow the state to provide training and technical assistance, risk assessment tools and investigative support to participating agencies and improve the domestic violence reduction efforts of state agencies.
