NYC crime fell 6.5% through the first ten months of 2026, while shootings and murders reached record lows for that period, according to figures the NYPD released on November 9. The results cover New York City during Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration, although some serious crime categories increased.
The department counted 96,059 major crimes, compared with 102,726 during the same period in 2025. That represents 6,667 fewer reported offenses. The NYPD described it as the largest year-to-date reduction in 17 years.
The report supports the central claim that major crime declined. However, its record-setting findings apply to specific measures and periods. They do not establish that every type of crime fell or that a single official’s policies caused the improvement.
NYC crime figures show record lows in violence
According to the NYPD’s October crime report, the city recorded 536 shooting incidents, 649 shooting victims and 230 murders through October. Each was the lowest total recorded for the first ten months of a year.
Major property-crime categories also declined over that period. Burglary fell 14.2%, robbery dropped 12.3%, auto theft decreased 11.2% and grand larceny fell 6.1%, the department reported.
The NYC crime figures describe changes in recorded offenses. A decline in the combined major-crime total can occur even when individual categories move in the opposite direction, making the category breakdown important when assessing the broader picture.
October brought increases alongside the declines
amNewYork’s reporting highlighted a difference between the ten-month trend and October alone. The month had 47 shooting incidents, compared with 45 in October 2025. The number of people shot increased from 52 to 55.
Felony assaults also increased during October, rising 3.1%. Major crime in the transit system climbed 12.7%, from 173 incidents to 195, according to the figures cited by the outlet.
Reported rape increased 1.8% over the first ten months, although it declined 11.2% in October. These results make a blanket claim that crime fell across every category inaccurate.
The NYPD also reported a 0.9% year-to-date increase in felony assault. Its release notes that some rape reports concern offenses from previous years, so reporting dates and offense dates can differ.
The different timeframes are essential context. A record low across ten months and an increase during one month can both be true. Neither should be used to erase the other when describing conditions across the city.
Mamdani has credited police and community groups
At an October 6 quarterly crime briefing, Mamdani had already described improvements in shootings and murders. He also acknowledged continuing problems, including increases in hate crimes, rather than presenting the earlier figures as evidence that public safety work was complete.
The mayor thanked NYPD officers and also highlighted violence interrupters and crisis management providers. He described those community teams as helping mediate disputes and address violence before it escalates. He also said the city would continue investing in prevention while supporting the police and community organizations involved in that work.
At that briefing, Commissioner Jessica Tisch attributed the department’s progress to targeted policing, gun seizures and efforts against gangs. Those explanations are the officials’ assessments; the November statistical comparisons do not isolate the effect of each intervention.
The improvement follows earlier gains
The decline in gun violence also extends back to 2025. A January 6, 2026, announcement from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office reported that the previous year had set citywide records for the fewest shooting incidents and shooting victims.
That announcement recorded 688 shooting incidents across all of 2025, down from 904 in 2024. It also reported a 3% decline in major crime for the full year. These annual totals provide background and should not be directly compared with the ten-month totals as equivalent periods.
The earlier announcement also attributed the progress to police work and community organizations. It provides context for the latest NYC crime figures without establishing how much of the continuing decline belongs to any single administration or program.
The November report labels its statistics preliminary and subject to revision. November and December remain outside this release, so a final assessment of 2026 will require the remaining months and the NYPD’s subsequent updates.
