Hochul: Sustained progress in fight against gun violence, as shootings fall 64% since 2021

Buffalo & Rochester continued to lead the way in gun violence reduction with double-digit declines in shooting incidents 

Submitted by the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul 

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced sustained progress in the ongoing fight against gun violence during the first four months of 2026 compared to the same time last year in communities participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. New data from the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) shows shooting incidents with injury dropped 17%, the number of shooting victims declined 19%, and the number of individuals killed by a firearm decreased 43%. At the same time, there were no firearm-related homicides in 18 of the 28 GIVE communities.

“New Yorkers are safer today because of our continued investments in proven, data-driven strategies that are helping reduce gun violence and save lives,” Hochul said. “Everyone deserves to live free from the scourge of gun violence. As we work to continue this progress across communities that experience gun violence, my administration will continue to support the hard work of law enforcement, community organizations and local leaders on the front lines of this fight.”

The following GIVE police departments reported no firearm-related homicides during the first four months of the year: Amherst, Auburn, Binghamton, Cheektowaga, Hempstead, Ithaca, Jamestown, Kingston, Lackawanna, Middletown, Mount Vernon, Newburgh (city), Schenectady, Spring Valley, Troy, Utica, Yonkers and Watertown.

The police departments participating in GIVE are on the front lines of fighting gun violence outside of New York City, with the 28 participating agencies collectively accounting for about 90% of violent crimes involving firearms and 85% of all violent crime reported outside the five boroughs.

Compared to the first four months of 2021, the reductions are even more significant. Shooting incidents with injury declined 64%, from 324 to 116 incidents. Shooting victims decreased 66%, from 373 to 127; and firearm-related murders dropped 66%, from 61 to 21 deaths. These positive trends in GIVE communities follow last year’s all-time low numbers for all three shooting data points, which the state began collecting in 2006.

Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Under Gov. Hochul’s leadership, New York state has continued to make strategic investments that are helping reduce gun violence and save lives. Every decline in violence means more families kept whole, more children growing up in safer neighborhoods, and more communities able to thrive free from the fear and trauma caused by gun violence. These results reflect the commitment of law enforcement, community organizations and local leaders working together every day to build a safer New York for everyone.”

Gun violence in Buffalo and Rochester also continued to decline significantly. The Buffalo Police Department reported four firearm-related murders during the first four months of 2026, compared to 10 during the same period last year and 25 in 2021. Buffalo also saw a 32% decrease in shooting incidents with injury and a 34% decline in shooting victims compared to 2025. Compared to 2021, shooting incidents with injury and shooting victims each declined by more than 75%.

Administered by DCJS, the GIVE initiative provides more than $36 million to participating police departments, district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices, and training and technical assistance that supports a comprehensive approach to addressing gun violence, combining data-driven policing, focused deterrence, street outreach, youth engagement and community-based violence prevention strategies.

Since taking office, Hochul has committed more than $3 billion to public safety initiatives that are contributing to results statewide. In addition to providing record-level funding for law enforcement, the governor has increased investments in prevention initiatives and programs that create opportunity for youth and families and strengthen neighborhoods, including SNUG Street Outreach, Project RISE, community-led public safety initiatives in the Bronx, firearm-injury-prevention screening and safe storage efforts and the new HOPE program for youth and families. This multifaceted approach recognizes the importance of providing ongoing support to communities that haven’t shared fully in the state’s progress. Hochul also has advanced key proposals in her FY27 executive budget to crack down on illegal 3-D-printed firearms and DIY machine guns as part of New York’s nation-leading gun laws.

President Pro Tempore and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "These statistics are incredibly encouraging because they show that the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative is making a real difference in our communities. The fact that Yonkers reported no firearm-related homicides during the first four months of the year is amazing news for our residents and families who deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods. This initiative demonstrates that investing in law enforcement partnerships, prevention strategies and community-based efforts is helping keep illegal guns off our streets – saving lives in Yonkers and so many other communities across our state."

New York State Sen. Jeremy Zellner said, “The decline in gun violence in Buffalo and Amherst is real progress for Western New York, and it reflects what’s possible when public safety is treated like a priority. These results are the product of strong coordination between law enforcement and community partners working together. I commend Gov. Hochul for her continued commitment to the GIVE initiative and the investments making our communities safer. There is still more work ahead, but this progress is saving lives.”