NYPD: 4,500 Guns Confiscated This Year as Murders and Shootings Fall Citywide

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Wednesday that the department has confiscated 4,500 guns across New York City so far this year, displaying a portion of the seized weapons at Police Headquarters in Lower Manhattan. She credited the haul with helping push murders and shootings to historic lows. Murders citywide fell more than 17%, dropping from 272 to 224 through October 25, while shootings involving victims declined 13.8%, from 740 to 638. Tisch noted that after the city experienced a 16-year high in gun violence in 2021, the sharpest improvements are being felt in communities historically affected by shootings. In Brooklyn, shootings are down 63% in Brownsville's 73rd Precinct and 47% in East New York's 75th Precinct compared to five years ago. In the Bronx, gun violence is down 69% in Morrisania's 42nd Precinct and 61% in Highbridge's 44th Precinct. Tisch also highlighted a recent undercover operation in which an officer purchased 99 guns over seven buys, dismantling a major drug trafficking organization. Not all crime categories declined — rapes were up 2.3% and felony assaults rose 0.7% through October 25. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the borough's largest-ever gun buyback, collecting 176 firearms, the second largest in New York City history. Kings County District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said details for a Brooklyn gun buyback planned for December will be released soon. Community activist Jackie Rowe Adams, who lost two sons to gun violence, urged parents and guardians to stay vigilant, saying, "Check the book bags at home. Parents, get involved."