The NYPD says major crime dropped in every borough of New York City last month, down nearly 13% citywide, according to News 12 New York. The station reported that the Bronx is leading that downward trend, even as recent gun violence keeps public safety top of mind for many residents.
The department says the city recorded the fewest shootings, shooting victims and murders ever reported during the first seven months of a year, News 12 reported. From January through July, police logged 381 shooting incidents, down from the same period last year, while murders fell nearly 23% to 149 killings citywide.
In July alone, major crime dropped 12.7%, with declines across all seven major crime categories, according to News 12. Burglary fell 14.7%, auto theft dropped 24.6%, robbery declined 14.9% and felony assault was down 6.8%.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch credits the department's data-driven precision policing strategy for the gains, News 12 reported. She also pointed to the removal of illegal guns and more than two dozen gang takedowns carried out this year.
The department also reports historic declines in violent crime inside public housing, according to News 12, with murders down 45% and shooting incidents down more than 33% so far this year. Officials framed the figures as evidence that the strategy is reaching some of the city's most affected communities.
Even with the improvement, officials acknowledge there is still much more work to be done, News 12 reported, as recent gun violence remains a concern. The station noted that just over a week ago a 12-year-old, Jacob Freitas, was killed by a stray bullet, that an 87-year-old woman was shot in the face in a double shooting, and that a 50-year-old man was fatally shot in Van Nest on Monday morning.