It’s not just the hustle of city life that’s slowing down in New York—gun violence is also on a sharp decline. In a recent announcement from the Governor’s Office, Governor Kathy Hochul reported that shootings across the state have dropped by another 9%, continuing a downward trend in gun-related violence. Statistics from the State Division of Criminal Justice Services show notable reductions in both shooting victims and incidents involving injuries.
From the start of the year until the end of April, New York witnessed a 15% decrease in shooting victims, and shooting incidents with injury have fallen by 9% in comparison to the same period in 2024. As per details provided by the governor's office, these figures represent the lowest levels of gun violence recorded since New York began tracking this data in 2006. This news comes as a second wind for communities under stress from the pandemic and its aftermath. In Buffalo, one of the cities involved in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative, police reported 32 shooting incidents with injury and 36 shooting victims in the first four months of 2025, both numbers reflecting a downward trend from the previous year.
Newly gleaned data stems from the 28 police departments outside of New York City participating in the GIVE initiative, which stands for Gun Involved Violence Elimination. According to a statement obtained by the governor's office, Commissioner Rossana Rosado of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services touted the success of the state's strategies, attributing them to their grounding in data, financial backing, and solid partnerships.
Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz also weighed in, highlighting the importance of continuing to focus on collaborative efforts to maintain safety in communities, especially ones disproportionately affected by gun violence. In his praise of the state’s concerted efforts, Poloncarz underlined the significance of prevention methods and trusted safety measures, reiterating sentiments from Monroe County Executive Adam Bello regarding the exceptional support provided by New York State for gun violence prevention programs.
Physical safety is not just a matter of law enforcement - it's a matter of public health. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that New York's murder rate dropped 8% from 2023 to 2024, positioning the state as having one of the lowest homicide rates among the most populous states in the country. Alongside this, the preliminary full year crime data from DCJS for 2024 showed a 4% decline in overall index crime across the state compared to 2023, with significant dips in crimes like motor vehicle theft, robbery, burglary, and larceny, as per the announcement from the Governor’s Office.
