Shooting Incidents and Shooting Victims Declined Double Digits Compared to Last April
Major Crime Declined 9.5% Citywide
Safest Start to the Year in Public Housing in Recorded History with Fewest Murders, Shooting Incidents, Shooting Victims, and Robberies
Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced that the NYPD delivered the fewest murders in recorded history for the first four months of the year and the month of April. During the four-month stretch, there were 76 murders, shattering the previous record of 86 set in 2018. April also saw the fewest murders in recorded city history with 19, beating the previous record of 21 set in 2014 and 2017.
Shooting incidents and shooting victims are down double digits compared to last April with an 18.6% and 19.3% decline, respectively.
Major crime continued to fall in April, down 9.5% citywide. These historic reductions extended to the city’s public housing developments, where the NYPD delivered the safest start to any year in recorded history with the fewest murders, shooting incidents, shooting victims, and robberies.
“Once again, the crime reductions across the five boroughs are a direct result of our precision policing strategy: focusing on illegal guns, putting officers where they’re needed most, and taking down violent gangs,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “These results are made possible by the women and men of the NYPD carrying out that work with focus and discipline. That approach is producing real, measurable crime reductions across the city, and it will continue to guide our work in the months ahead.”
Citywide, overall major crime fell 9.5% (9,157 vs. 10,114) with 957 fewer reported crimes compared to last April. Year to date, major crime is down in all five boroughs, transit, and housing.
Compared to last April, shooting incidents declined 18.6% (57 vs. 70) and shooting victims dropped 19.3% (67 vs. 83). The NYPD’s ongoing work to target and take down the most dangerous gangs also played a role in driving down shootings and removing guns from the streets. So far this year, NYPD detectives have carried out ten gang-related takedowns, and the department has seized 1,600 guns.
Murders fell by a staggering 40.6% (19 vs. 32) citywide, marking the fewest murders for any April on record. Staten Island has had zero murders so far in 2026.
Additionally, for the month of April:
- Burglary declined 21.5% (827 vs. 1,053), marking the fewest ever for any April in recorded history.
- Auto theft fell 20.2% (962 vs. 1,205).
- Robbery decreased 13.8% (1,053 vs. 1,222).
- Felony assault declined 6% (2,426 vs. 2,580).
- Grand larceny fell 4.4% (3,684 vs. 3,853).
Retail theft continued to plunge, falling 17.7% (3,680 vs. 4,471) in April compared to the same period last year. The decline reflects the department’s focused approach: identifying crime patterns, deploying resources at high-propensity locations during peak hours, and shifting from pass-through enforcement to sustained investigations.
The rise in reported rape incidents can be partially attributed to legislative changes enacted in September 2024 through the Rape is Rape Act, which rightfully broadened the legal definition of rape in New York State to include additional forms of sexual assault. The number of reported rapes increased by 10.1% (186 vs. 169) compared to April 2025 with 23% (43) of all reported rapes resulting from the expanded legal definition while 45.7% (85) occurred outside of April 2026. Year to date, rapes have increased 10.4% (711 vs. 644) with 21% (149) resulting from Rape is Rape and 33.5% (238) from outside 2026. Additionally, the NYPD has enhanced its work with advocates to encourage all survivors of sexual assault to come forward and report these incidents.
The NYPD is delivering historic crime reductions in public housing across the city. Year to date, overall crime in public housing is down 8.7% (1,721 vs. 1,886). So far this year, murders are down 41.7% (7 vs. 12), shooting victims are down 30.4% (32 vs. 46), shooting incidents are down 26.8% (30 vs. 41), and robberies are down 23.7% (225 vs. 295). In April, overall crime declined 16.7% (435 vs. 522).
Below ground, transit crime is down year-to-date by 0.6% (711 vs. 715). In April, overall transit crime increased by 1.2% (173 vs. 171) with only two more incidents.
The Bronx is the leading the city with the largest decline in major crime for the month of April and year-to-date with a 15.5% (2,218 vs. 2,626) and 10.7% (8,556 vs. 9,576) decrease, respectively. The Bronx had its fewest murders in recorded history for the month of April with four. Shooting incidents are down 58.1% (13 vs. 31), the second fewest in recorded history for the borough and only two behind the record set in April 2018. Shooting victims declined 64.9% (13 vs. 37). Robbery fell 23.5% (316 vs. 413) with nearly 100 fewer incidents. Finally, the Bronx saw the greatest reduction in auto theft, falling 43.8% (222 vs. 395) with 173 fewer incidents. Last month, NYPD detectives successfully dismantled and took down a major Bronx auto theft ring responsible for victimizing 252 vehicle owners with stolen property totaling $1.2 million.
To address youth violence, the department implemented its Youth Violence Safety Zones, modeled after the Violence Reduction Plan. These zones focus on the areas where young people are most at risk — commuter corridors, bus stops, and routes to and from school. Since its inception in September 2025, overall youth-related crime is down 52.4% (159 vs. 334), shooting incidents are down 64.7% (6 vs. 17), and shooting victims are down 63.2% (7 vs. 19) in the zones during deployment hours. In Bronx youth zones, there have been zero shootings.
The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force (HCTF) investigates allegations of hate crimes and bias motivated incidents. After an incident is flagged as a possible hate crime, the HCTF investigates and determines, in consultation with the NYPD Legal Bureau, whether it constitutes a hate crime under New York State law. If an incident is deemed a hate crime under the law, it will be categorized as a confirmed hate crime. The NYPD is providing data on confirmed hate crimes along with the universe of reported hate crimes — whether or not they are ultimately confirmed as hate crimes by the HCTF. The disclosure of both sets of numbers enhances transparency and reflects best practices in connection with hate crime reporting.
In April 2026, the HCTF confirmed 50 incidents as hate crimes out of 65 incidents that were reported as hate crimes. Confirmed hate crimes are down 35.1% (50 vs. 77), compared to the previous April.
The NYPD continues to combat violent crime and shootings through its data-driven zone strategy. Since launching the Winter Violence Reduction Plan in January, major crime is down 22.7% (899 vs. 1,163), shooting victims are down 66% (16 vs. 47), and shooting incidents are down 62.5% (15 vs. 40) in the zones during deployment hours. Starting today, the NYPD will begin its Summer Violence Reduction Plan, the department’s largest summer deployment in recorded history. The zones will deploy up to 3,800 officers on nightly foot posts across 72 zones in 40 precincts, public housing and the subway system.
*All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revision, or change. *
Index Crime Statistics: April 2026
|
April 2026 |
April 2025 | +/- | % Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | 19 | 32 | -13 | -40.6% |
| Rape | 186 | 169 | 17 | 10.1% |
| Robbery | 1,053 | 1,222 | -169 | -13.8% |
| Felony Assault | 2,462 | 2,580 | -154 | -6.0% |
| Burglary | 827 | 1,053 | -226 | -21.5% |
| Grand Larceny | 3,684 | 3,853 | -169 | -4.4% |
| Grand Larceny Auto | 962 | 1,205 | -243 | -20.2% |
| TOTAL | 9,157 | 10,114 | -957 | -9.5% |
|
April 2026 |
April 2025 |
+/- | % Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Transit | 173 | 171 | 2 | 1.2% |
Housing | 435 | 522 | -87 | -16.7% |
Shooting Incidents | 57 | 70 | -13 | -18.6% |
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