NYC Sees 939 Fewer People Shot Than in 2021, but One Crime Trend Is Moving in the Wrong Direction

New York City recorded 939 fewer shooting victims in the first ten months of 2026 than during the same period in 2021, marking a dramatic reduction in gun violence. Yet the latest police figures reveal a contrasting trend underground: major crime on the subway increased despite falling across the city.

The New York City Police Department announced the figures on 9 November, reporting record lows for shootings, shooting victims and murders between January and October. Subway crime, however, rose 12.7% in October compared with the same month last year.

Historic Lows Above Ground

Police recorded 536 shooting incidents through October, down from 598 during the equivalent period in 2025. The number of people shot fell from 746 to 649, while murders reached 230, below the previous ten-month record of 244 set in 2017.

Compared with 2021, the shooting victim total was lower by 939. These records concern the first ten months of each year, rather than complete annual totals.

Major crime across the five boroughs declined 8.6% in October, with 9,750 offences compared with 10,670 a year earlier. For January through October, the decline was 6.5%, representing 6,667 fewer reported offences.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch credited targeted enforcement against gun violence and gangs. The department said officers had seized more than 4,500 illegal firearms and conducted 26 gang-related operations during 2026.

The Subway Tells a Different Story

Major crime in the transit system increased from 173 incidents in October 2025 to 195 this October, a rise of 12.7%. Across the first ten months, incidents climbed from 1,786 to 1,825, an increase of 2.2%.

Felony assaults accounted for 568 transit crimes so far this year, while nonviolent grand larcenies accounted for 898. The department reported a 17% increase in thefts involving unattended property, from 229 to 268.

Nevertheless, the NYPD described 2026 as the subway system's second safest year in the past 15 years when pandemic years are excluded. Transit robberies also reached a record low for the period, with 332 incidents compared with 339 in 2025.

Police said repeat offenders remained a concern. Of 749 people arrested for major subway crimes during the period, 416 had been arrested at least three times previously, highlighting another challenge facing transit enforcement.

Other Warning Signs in the Data

Subway crime was not the only category moving against the overall downward trend. Citywide felony assaults increased 0.9% year to date, reaching 25,422 incidents, and rose 3.1% in October.

Reported rapes increased 1.8% across the ten months, although October reports declined. Police noted that some reports concerned incidents from previous years and that an expanded legal definition introduced in 2024 affects comparisons.

The department also reported record-low shooting incidents, shooting victims and murders in public housing during the same ten-month period.

For New Yorkers, the figures present two realities at once: historic reductions in lethal violence and a smaller but measurable rise in crime on the transit network. The statistics are preliminary and may be revised, but the contrast underscores why citywide improvements do not necessarily describe every part of daily life.

The rise in subway offences also raises questions about how improvements in overall crime figures translate into passengers' everyday experiences. Although transit robberies have declined, increases in assaults and thefts of unattended property can still influence perceptions of safety.

The challenge for police is sustaining historic reductions in violence while addressing these persistent concerns.