Major Drop in Gun Violence Across New York

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that shooting incidents with injury in communities that participate in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative dropped 14 percent in the first seven months of 2025, thanks to record state investments and the work of the local law enforcement agencies and community organizations across the state. New statistics from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services also show a 21 percent decrease in shooting deaths compared to the same period in 2024.

“Gun violence in New York is falling as a direct result of our record investments in public safety and prevention initiatives,” Governor Hochul said. “As we work with our public safety partners to make real progress in the fight against gun crimes, I remain committed to investing in programs that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals and keep our communities safe.”

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s record investments that have empowered our local partners, we are seeing sustained progress in reducing gun violence throughout New York State. The GIVE communities are proving that focused strategies and real partnerships can save lives and prevent tragedies. We are grateful for the Governor’s steadfast leadership and the support of our local public safety partners who are truly building safer and stronger neighborhoods.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Disrupting the flow of illegal guns and the mission to locate and mitigate their source of supply remains a top priority. GIVE is just one of several initiatives supported by Governor Hochul to aggressively attack the gun violence epidemic in New York State. We are grateful for her support, and we share her continued commitment in developing solutions to reduce gun violence on our streets.”

Newly released data comes from the 28 police departments outside of New York City participating in GIVE. These agencies account for roughly 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of all violent crime reported outside the five boroughs. Since 2021, when Governor Hochul took office, shootings statewide have fallen by more than 50 percent and murders by 30 percent.

Governor Hochul recently announced $36 million in GIVE funding, marking the third consecutive year of record-level support for the program. When comparing January 1 through July 31, 2025 to the same period last year, GIVE police departments reported:

• 303 shooting incidents with injury, down from 351
• 356 individuals shot, down from 455
• 55 gun-violence-related deaths, 15 fewer than the 70 reported in 2024

Four cities saw significant reductions in shooting incidents with injury during the same timeframe:

• Albany: 53 percent decline
• Buffalo: 25 percent decline
• Syracuse: 10 percent decline
• Rochester: 8 percent decline

New York City also experienced notable declines. Through Aug. 17, the NYPD reported a nearly 20 percent decrease in shootings (459 vs. 572) and a 19 percent drop in shooting victims (564 vs. 700) compared to the same period in 2024.

GIVE data for each of the 28 participating police departments, along with an interactive dashboard featuring current-year and historical statistics, is available on the DCJS statistics page.

The FY26 Enacted Budget sustained $347 million in unprecedented funding secured by Governor Hochul for gun violence prevention programs, including GIVE, and supports additional initiatives to improve public safety, expand support for victims and survivors of crime and strengthen communities.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).