New York City has recorded a historic decline in several major categories of violent crime during the first half of 2026, challenging earlier predictions that the city would become less safe under Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration.
According to NYPD figures released July 2, the city recorded 122 murders between January 1 and June 30, 2026, down from 162 during the same period in 2025—a 24.7% decrease. The figure represents the lowest number of murders recorded during the first half of any year since the NYPD began tracking crime through its CompStat system in 1994.
The decline extended beyond homicides. New York recorded 322 shooting incidents and 381 shooting victims during the first six months of the year, both representing record lows for a first half of the year. The previous records were 337 shooting incidents and 397 shooting victims.
Overall major crime also declined. The NYPD reported 55,157 major crimes through June 30, compared with 58,581 during the same period in 2025, a reduction of 5.8%. Robbery fell 11.9%, burglary dropped 15.8%, grand larceny declined 4.2%, and grand larceny auto fell 9.7%. Felony assault was essentially unchanged, while reported rape increased 5.8%.
The Bronx recorded the largest borough-level reduction, with major crime down approximately 12% during the first half of the year. Earlier NYPD reports had already shown substantial declines in the borough during the first quarter.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch attributed the results in part to the NYPD’s continued data-driven approach to public safety and its efforts to disrupt violent gangs. The department said detectives had conducted 61 gang-related takedowns during the year and seized more than 2,530 illegal firearms by the end of June.
The figures have become an important point in the political debate surrounding Mamdani’s administration. Supporters can point to the record-low murder and shooting numbers as evidence that the city has not experienced the crime surge predicted by some of his critics. However, the statistics alone cannot establish that Mamdani’s policies caused the decline. Crime trends were already moving downward before his administration, and the NYPD itself emphasizes the work of its officers and existing public-safety strategies.
There are also areas that remain concerning. Confirmed hate crimes increased 7.7% during the first half of 2026, according to the NYPD, while reported rape increased compared with the same period last year. These figures demonstrate why overall crime statistics need to be examined category by category rather than treated as a single measure of public safety.
Still, the first-half numbers represent a significant milestone for New York City. Murders, shootings, shooting victims, and overall major crime all declined compared with the previous year, with several categories reaching their lowest levels in the city’s recorded CompStat history.
The broader political question—whether these improvements should be credited primarily to Mamdani, the NYPD, longer-term crime trends, or a combination of factors—will require more time and analysis. What is clear from the available data is that New York City did not experience the predicted broad surge in violent crime during the first half of 2026. Instead, the city recorded historically low levels of several serious crimes while continuing to debate the policies that should shape its approach to public safety.
