By Leonard Greene
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Despite the soaring temperatures and the dog days of summer, major crime is following the lead of many New Yorkers, and taking a much-needed vacation.
The NYPD is taking a bow for the fewest shooting incidents, the fewest shooting victims, and the fewest murders in recorded history across the city for both the first seven months of the year and the month of July.
Year to date, the Big Apple saw 381 shooting incidents, shattering the previous record of 412 over the same period, which was set in 2025. There were 462 shooting victims, beating the previous record of 489, also set in 2025, and there were 149 murders, besting the prior record of 174 murders from 2017.
For the month of July, the NYPD set new record lows with 59 shooting incidents, surpassing the previous record from last July of 75. There were 81 shooting victims, lower than the previous record of 92 also set last year, as well as 21 murders, bettering the previous record of 24 murders set in 2013.
Citywide, there was a 12.7% drop in crime in July, including a reduction in all major crime categories in all five boroughs. The Bronx led the city in July, with the northernmost borough’s overall crime down 19%.
“These incredible public safety achievements are the result of our data-driven precision policing strategy and the tireless work of the members of the NYPD , whose long hours and dedication continue to make New York City safer,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement.
The summer safety trend is going especially strong in Brooklyn , which went nearly a month without a single person getting killed, officials said.
For 29 days, there was no one murdered in Brooklyn, the longest such stretch on record.
The unprecedented achievement highlights an ongoing decline in violent crime in the borough, with homicides dropping by more than one-third so far this year compared to last year’s record-breaking low.
Were it not for homicides on July 1 and July 2, Brooklyn would have gone the whole month without a murder, officials said. The historic streak ended Aug. 1 when a woman was found dead in a suspected domestic incident.
“For New York City’s most populous borough to go 29 consecutive days without a murder, during the summer months when violence has historically been at its highest, is an extraordinary achievement that would have been almost unimaginable just a few years ago,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.
“Brooklyn is experiencing a genuine public safety renaissance, driven by focused enforcement, strong prosecutions, community partnership and sustained investments in preventing violence before it occurs.”
Most years, summer is synonymous with violent crime. Historically, the highest levels of homicides take place during the hottest months, officials said.
But so far in Brooklyn this year homicides are down 37% and shooting incidents are down 16% when compared to the year before.
And, it’s not just Brooklyn. From Castle Hill to Kew Gardens, New Yorkers are enjoying their neighborhoods again, and cops are trying to bottle the anti-crime antidote.
The historic lows happened while the NYPD was also managing a number of large-scale and concurrent events, including the FIFA World Cup, Fourth of July semiquincentennial celebrations and Sail250.
Among the statistical highlights:
Burglary declined citywide by 14.7% in July (929 vs. 1,089), the lowest in recorded history, and 15% (6,329 vs. 7,448) year to date. Queens saw the largest decline with a drop of 25.3% (1,270 vs. 1,701) year to date.
Auto theft declined 24.6% (1,059 vs. 1,404) in July, the lowest recorded level since 2021, and 12.4% (6,895 vs. 7,871) year to date.
Robbery declined citywide by 14.9% (1,235 vs. 1,451) for July, and 12.1% (7,643 vs. 8,699) year to date. All five boroughs experienced decreases in robberies, with the Bronx seeing the largest drop, 23.6% (381 vs. 499), in July.
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