New York City is marking a significant decrease in violent crime, with the NYPD reporting a record-low number of homicides and shootings for 2025. According to Gothamist, the city has seen only 297 homicides through December 21, mirroring the low figures of 2017 and 2018. This number reflects a roughly 20% drop from the 377 murders reported in 2024 and is a steep decline from the 462 homicides during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Additionally, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch highlighted that "Recently, New York City went 12 consecutive days without a homicide, the longest stretch ever recorded" signaling a noteworthy improvement in the safety of the city's streets, as per Gothamist.
Tisch also shared on social media that there have been "1,000 FEWER shooting victims than in 2021," according to an announcement quoted by Union Bulletin. The NYPD's statistics show a 22% decrease in shooting victims this year compared to last, with 841 people shot through Sunday, compared to 1,077 by the same date in 2024.
While there are declines in most violent crime statistics, the city is experiencing an increase in other major crimes. Reports of rapes have risen by 15%, with 1,999 cases compared with 1,728 by this time last year. The surge is attributed to legislative changes that broadened the legal definition of rape in New York State to include more forms of sexual assault.
Policing strategies have been credited with the downturn in violent crime, as NYPD has intensified its focus on targeting gangs and repeat offenders. An NYPD spokesperson explained the deployment of additional officers to areas near public housing and on the subway, as well as executing 61 gang-related takedowns this year. Peter Moskos, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former police officer, told Gothamist, "If you do actually lock up a few of those people, you can have a pretty big impact on the murder rate."
This year's lows are more in line with city's prepandemic crime statistics. In comparison, 2019 recorded 923 shooting victims and 319 homicides. The current trend is a reassuring shift for New Yorkers as the city moves away from the elevated crime rates that marked the tumultuous post-pandemic years.
