UNDERREPORTED: New York City Records Safest Summer on Record as Shootings, Victims and Murders Hit Historic Lows
NEW YORK CITY — September 5, 2026 — New York City recorded its lowest summer totals ever for shooting incidents, shooting victims and murders, according to preliminary NYPD crime data covering June 1 through August 31.
During the three-month summer period, the city recorded 195 shooting incidents, 249 shooting victims and 66 murders. The NYPD described the figures as the safest summer on record for those three categories.
The decline represents another significant milestone in the city’s continuing reduction in gun violence. Each of the three summer totals established a new record low.
Shooting Incidents Fall to Historic Low
The 195 shooting incidents recorded between June and August were 32 fewer than the previous record low of 227, set during the summer of 2025.
Shooting victims also reached a new low. The 249 victims represented a decline of 44 from the previous record of 293, which was recorded in 2018.
The city also recorded 66 murders, 12 fewer than the previous record low of 78, set in 2017.
The figures are particularly notable because summer traditionally brings increased outdoor activity, large gatherings and major events throughout New York City.
August Crime Drops 6.6%
The positive summer numbers came as overall major crime also declined in August.
According to NYPD data, the city recorded 10,276 major crimes in August 2026, compared with 11,000 during August 2025. That represents 724 fewer reported crimes and a 6.6% decrease year over year.
Several major crime categories contributed to the decline:
Murder: down 34.3%
Robbery: down 13.3%
Burglary: down 9.1%
Grand larceny: down 6.5%
Grand larceny auto: down 16.2%
Shooting incidents: down 20.8%
August recorded 61 shooting incidents, compared with 77 during the same month in 2025. Shooting victims fell from 122 to 76, a 37.7% decrease.
The Bronx Leads the City’s Crime Reduction
The Bronx stood out as the borough with one of the strongest reductions in major crime.
Major crime in the borough fell 10.5% in August, from 2,693 incidents in August 2025 to 2,409 in August 2026.
Year to date, major crime in the Bronx was down 11.9%, representing more than 2,400 fewer reported major crimes compared with the same period last year.
The borough also recorded substantial August declines in several serious categories. Auto theft fell 36.2%, murders dropped 35.7%, shooting victims decreased 31.8%, shooting incidents declined 22.2%, and grand larceny fell 14.9%.
Subway Violence Reaches Another Milestone
The improvement was not limited to street crime.
The NYPD reported zero murders, shooting incidents, shooting victims or reported rapes in the subway system throughout August.
Transit robberies also fell to a record low for August, with 27 incidents compared with the previous record low of 35 recorded in 2016. Overall major crime in the subway system declined 8.4% in August compared with the same month in 2025.
Public Housing Also Sees Historic Lows
Public housing developments experienced similar reductions.
There were zero murders in public housing during August, while shooting incidents and shooting victims reached record lows for the month. The NYPD reported seven shooting incidents and seven shooting victims, compared with 20 and 26 respectively in August 2025.
Robberies in public housing also fell to a record low for August.
Not Every Crime Category Declined
Despite the historic reductions in shootings and murders, the data does not show that every type of crime is falling.
Felony assaults increased 3.1% in August, rising from 2,590 incidents in August 2025 to 2,669 this year. Rape reports also increased 3.2% year to date, according to the NYPD.
Hate crimes also remained an area of concern, with reported incidents increasing compared with the previous year. This means the broader crime picture remains more complicated than the record-low shooting and murder figures alone suggest.
Eight Months of Record-Low Gun Violence
The summer numbers are part of a larger trend extending through the first eight months of 2026.
Year to date, New York City recorded 442 shooting incidents, 538 shooting victims and 173 murders. Each figure represents a record low for the period, according to the NYPD.
The department also reported that its detectives had conducted 25 gang-related takedowns during 2026 and seized more than 3,630 illegal guns.
NYPD Calls It a Historic Public-Safety Milestone
Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch characterized the figures as historic, noting that the department achieved the record lows while New York hosted a series of major events, including the NBA Finals, the World Cup, Sail 250 and the city’s large Fourth of July celebration.
The NYPD says the results reflect continued efforts to reduce gun violence and target individuals and groups involved in violent crime.
What the Numbers Mean for New Yorkers
The statistics provide evidence of a substantial decline in shootings and murders across the city, particularly when compared with previous record-low periods.
However, the data should also be viewed in context. Crime statistics are preliminary and can be revised as additional information is reviewed. Furthermore, reductions in shootings and murders do not necessarily mean every neighborhood or every category of crime experienced the same improvement.
For residents, the most significant takeaway is that New York City experienced its safest recorded summer for shootings, shooting victims and murders, while overall major crime also moved lower in August.
The decline marks a notable shift in the city’s public-safety landscape and continues an eight-month period in which shootings, shooting victims and murders have remained at historically low levels.
The NYPD’s figures are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revision or change.
