NEWYORK: Governor Kathy Hochul announced that gun violence in communities participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative decreased 19 percent during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year.
Shooting deaths also declined 48 percent (26 v. 50), with 17 police departments reporting no firearm-related murders during the first six months of 2026: Amherst, Auburn, Binghamton, Hempstead, Ithaca, Jamestown, Kingston, Lackawanna, Middletown, Mount Vernon, Newburgh (city), Rochester, Schenectady, Spring Valley, Utica, Watertown and Yonkers.
Data for the first quarter of 2026 reported by the 28 GIVE police departments also showed progress in driving down index crime, collectively reporting a six percent decrease compared to the first quarter of last year.
“These statistics are more than just numbers. They are the lives that weren’t cut short, a loved one who didn’t receive a devastating phone call, and a community that was spared another act of violence,” Governor Hochul said.
“That’s why we’ve made record investments in both enforcement and prevention — because New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods. These results show what’s possible when we stay committed to making our communities safer, and we won’t let up until every New Yorker feels safe where they live.”
In addition to the decline in shooting incidents with injury (197 v. 244) during the first half of this year when compared to 2025, the number of shooting victims decreased by 20 percent (223 vs. 279).
This significant progress sustains dramatic reductions that occurred in 2025, when shooting incidents with injury reached the fewest ever reported since the state started tracking these data 20 years ago. Shooting incidents with injury dropped 66 percent (197 v. 583) when comparing data from January – June this year to the first half of 2021.
Administered by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the GIVE initiative supports personnel, overtime, equipment and technology.
The agencies participating in the initiative in each county must collaborate to develop a comprehensive plan outlining the evidence-based strategies they will use to address shootings and firearm-related violent crime. The 28 participating police departments collectively account for about 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of all violent crime reported outside of New York City.
“Throughout New York, our dedicated GIVE partners continue to make a real difference in their communities. These positive trends in gun violence and crime represent fewer tragedies, more families kept whole, and more young people who are alive and able to thrive. Governor Hochul’s unwavering commitment to public safety has ensured that local law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations continue to have resources they need to transform lives and build safer and more resilient communities for everyone,” said New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado.
The 17,105 index crimes reported by GIVE agencies from January through March were the fewest during the first quarter of any year from 2017 through 2026.
GIVE agencies, which serve the most populated communities in the state outside of New York City, also reported the fewest violent crimes (2,473 v. 3,288, a 25 percent decline), including murders (16), and property crimes (14,632 v. 17,608, a 17 percent drop) during the first three months of that same timeframe.
This progress continues reductions in crime that occurred in these communities last year, when index crime declined 13 percent when compared to 2024.
Each of the seven index crimes — four violent (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and three property (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft) — decreased by double-digit percentages. Index crime in the 57 counties outside of New York City also dropped 14 percent in 2025 vs. 2024, reaching a 10-year low (2016 through 2025). There were 257 murders reported, the second lowest during that timeframe.
