New York City shootings skyrocket nearly 75%
NEW YORK - The number of shootings in May increased by nearly 75% compared to the same month last year, as New York City continues to grapple with a rise in crime.
According to the NYPD, overall crime rose by 22% in May 2021, as compared to May 2020.
There were 73 shootings last month, compared to just 100 in May 2020, a 73% increase, while the number of assaults rose from 1,643 in May 2020 to 1,979 last month, a 20.5% increase.
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Crimes in the New York City subway system have also seen a major increase, with 168 reported incidents in May 2021, compared to just 87 in the same month last year.
While some of the disparity in numbers can likely be explained by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown the city was struggling through in May 2020, the continued rise in crime, including recent spikes in anti-Asian and anti-Semitic hate crimes has become a headline issue and has become one of the defining issues of the race to replace Bill de Blasio as Mayor of New York City.
On Tuesday, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea blamed New York's recent bail reform changes as part of the reason for the increase in crime.
"We’re arresting someone for pushing a woman down the stairs and we’re releasing them back into the streets," said Shea. "This is craziness."