Brooklyn sees record low gun violence this summer, marking a historic achievement
Beachgoers at Coney Island this summer experienced a quieter season as Brooklyn saw historic lows in gun violence, a trend confirmed by both official data and observations from those within the community. Photo: Frank Franklin II/AP
Brooklyn experienced its safest summer in terms of gun violence, with the fewest shootings and shooting homicides ever recorded during the summer months, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
From June through August, the borough saw an 11% drop in shootings and a 24% reduction in shooting homicides compared to the same period last year. This marks a remarkable 75% decrease in shootings since the summer of 2020, a peak period of violence during the pandemic.
“The summer months are traditionally the time when gun violence spikes, which is the reason the NYPD and my office focus extra resources and efforts during that period,” Gonzalez said.
“It is gratifying that, after a particularly safe summer in 2023, we reached even more historic lows this year,” Gonzalez added. “While more needs to be done, public safety in Brooklyn continues to improve, and our multi-pronged approach in fighting gun crimes — which includes gang takedowns, investments in our Digital Evidence Lab, precision prosecutions and community-based initiatives — is working.”
This summer, Brooklyn recorded 84 shooting incidents, down from 94 during the same period last year, making it the lowest figure since tracking began. Even more notably, there were only 13 shooting homicides, a 79% decline from the 2020 summer high and the lowest number ever recorded. While the number of shooting victims rose slightly to 104, this figure remains historically low, with last summer holding the record for the fewest victims.
Concerns about manipulated NYPD statistics are often raised, but individuals involved in the system have expressed to the Eagle that this summer has indeed been unusually quiet, more so than in previous years. This firsthand observation from those working within the community further supports the data showing a significant reduction in gun violence, indicating that the improvements in public safety are genuine and widely recognized.
Major index crimes are down 5% since the start of 2024, and the DA’s Office has reported that it has maintained an 86% trial conviction rate in Supreme Court cases. The Homicide Bureau secured 18 convictions, and the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau prosecuted 10 defendants after two major gang takedowns that resulted in 29 individuals being charged.
The DA also credited Brooklyn’s community-based initiatives, such as the gun buyback event in July that removed 100 firearms from the streets to the ongoing decline in gun violence. When the gun buyback program was suspended in the summer of 2020 during COVID, many pointed to its absence as a contributing factor in the then-high rate of gun violence.
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