Rise in Shootings Continues in NYC
A rise in New York City gun violence shows no signs of abating, with at least 25 shootings occurring over the weekend.
The victims include a 23-year-old man and 39-year-old woman who were shot in broad daylight in Brooklyn on Saturday, both of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. A 17-year-old Bronx resident died Sunday night after being shot in the neck.
At least 500 people have been shot in the city since the start of 2020, a 42 percent uptick from the same period of 2019. From Sunday through Saturday last week there were 59 shootings, while the same week in 2019 saw 26 shootings.
“We haven’t seen this since 1996, and there are a lot of reasons for it,” NYPD chief of department Terence Monahan said on Sunday. Monahan stated that a combination of factors had led to the uptick, including bail reform policies that have led to the release of indicted suspects as well as George Floyd demonstrations against the police.
“It is a tough job for the police. We’ve been told by community members, council members, who have the loudest voice, that they don’t want us interacting with people who are shooting off fireworks or drinking on the street,” Monahan said. “The animosity toward police has just been absolutely unbelievable, and cops are a little confused right now what the communities want them to do, how they want their neighborhoods policed.”
Floyd, an African American man, was killed during arrest by police officers in Minneapolis. The death sparked massive demonstrations in major American cities, some of which have spiraled into rioting and looting, along with calls to abolish police departments entirely. A Sunday protest saw clashes between demonstrators and police in New York’s Washington Square Park and West Village neighborhood.
