Major drop in gun violence across New York, shootings down 14%

GIVE communities report 48 fewer shootings & nearly 100 fewer people shot in first 7 months of 2025

√ Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse lead way with double-digit declines in gun violence

Submitted by the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that shooting incidents with injury in communities that participate in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative dropped 14% 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% 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,” 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 Gov. 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 Gov. 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% of violent crimes involving firearms and 85% of all violent crime reported outside the five boroughs. Since 2021, when Hochul took office, shootings statewide have fallen by more than 50% and murders by 30%.

Hochul recently announced $36 million in GIVE funding, marking the third consecutive year of record-level support for the program. When comparing Jan. 1-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 time frame:

√ Albany: 53% decline

√ Buffalo: 25% decline

√ Syracuse: 10% decline

√ Rochester: 8% decline

New York City also experienced notable declines. Through Aug. 17, the NYPD reported a nearly 20% decrease in shootings (459 vs. 572) and a 19% 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 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).