NEW YORK (PIX11) — Crime rose by 30.4% in April 2021 compared to April 2020, an NYPD report released Wednesday said.
Police said the greatest increases came in shootings, which were up 166%—149 in April 2021, compared to 56 in April 2020. Police also noted that grand larcenies were up 66%, felony assaults grew by 35.6%, and robberies increased by 28.6%.
Other crimes that were up from last year included murder (at 44 versus 38) and rape (at 110 versus 72). Incidents of hate crimes against Asian Americans—which have taken the spotlight in recent months—were also up 400% in April, an increase of 64 from this time last year. Crimes committed in public housing were up 46.3%.
As shooting incidents have gone up, so have gun arrests. There were 223 arrests for possession of weapons in April 2021, up 3.7%, police said.
The only crime to decrease was burglary, down 26% compared to the previous year. Transit crimes, despite the MTA asking for more police in the subways, were also down 10.5%.
“The NYPD is relentless in its mission to maintain public safety for all New Yorkers,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “The selfless work our officers carry out—day after day, night after night—is one important part of the entire criminal justice system’s process, a process where all pieces must work together to be wholly effective.”
NYPD databases also show 490 shootings between January 1 and May 16, the highest number of shootings during this time period since 2002. Data shows a stark increase over the last few years:
| January 1 to May 16 | Shootings |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 241 |
| 2018 | 225 |
| 2019 | 226 |
| 2020 | 270 |
| 2021 | 490 |
| Average | 290.4 |
Still, those are dwarfed by figures from the 1990s. For example, there were 1,886 shootings in New York City by May 16, 1993.
Authorities say they will be working closely with its prosecutorial partners to bring a number of long-term investigations focused on the drivers of violence to a successful conclusion. Additionally, targeted patrols working in coordination with field intelligence officers and informed by ShotSpotter technology are all part of a larger effort to combat gun violence and its effects on victims.
