There have been more shootings in New York City so far this year than took place in all of 2019.
The New York Post reported Sunday that there have been 777 shootings in the city so far this year, topping the 776 that occurred in 2019.
“It only gets worse from here,” Joseph Giacalone, a retired New York City Police Department sergeant, said. “As the shootings continue, so will retaliation. It’s a vicious cycle that the NYPD worked hard to mitigate, but that they are no longer able and in some cases willing to do.”
This year’s shootings have left 942 victims either injured or dead across all five boroughs, including children.
“I’ve been living here 55 years, and I’ve never seen it this bad,” New York City resident Mario Martinez said over the weekend.
”There’s more guns. I’m telling you when I grew up here, the worst weapon was a knife,” he added. “Chains and bats. That’s when I grew up. Then came the next generation. Guns.”
In one week in July, shootings in the city increased by 176% compared to the same week last year, with 47 shootings reported compared to 17 shootings last year. Additionally, murders also increased that week, with 14 killed compared to five during the same period in 2019.
Protests, riots, and vandalism sparked by the death of George Floyd have increased the anti-police sentiment in the city at a time when Mayor Bill de Blasio has stripped $1 billion from the city’s police budget and disbanded the plainclothes anti-crime unit. Hundreds of police officers have filed their retirement papers in recent weeks as tensions between the force and the public become more strained by the increase in crime.
“There’s just droves and droves of people retiring. But there’s no surprise here, who the hell wants to stay on this job?” one officer said about the retirements.
De Blasio put forth a plan, described as “vague” by the New York Post, in July to combat the city’s violence with an emphasis on NYPD foot patrols.
“We will combine the presence of police, particularly foot patrols … with all those grassroots efforts and community efforts,” de Blasio told reporters at the time.
New York City Police Department Commissioner Dermot Shea said in July that he’s optimistic the police force will be able to stem the shootings.
“We have a lot of work to do, but I am confident with community affairs, with the community, with all the partners and stakeholders together … we can turn this tide,” said Shea.
