Murders Down, But Hate Crimes, Shootings Rise in Manhattan
The first six months of 2026 saw a six percent decline in major crime throughout the city, with reported historic lows in shooting incidents/victims and murders across the five boroughs. However, Manhattan’s solo shooting statistics show the opposite, with increases over 25 percent for year-to-date compared to a year ago.
| 07 Jul 2026 | 05:31
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced historic murder and shooting lows in NYC alongside Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a July 2 press conference. But in Manhattan it was a mixed bag: murders are down but shooting incidents are surging. (
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The New York Police Department (NYPD) reported historic all-time lows in shootings and murders for the first half of 2026 citywide. While Manhattan’s murder rate paralleled the historic citywide statistic, shootings in Manhattan surged compared to the same six month period a year ago.
The Manhattan murder rate decreased by 50% (13 v. 26) this year from Jan. 1 to June 30, according an NYPD spokesperson with major crime overall down 6% (13,800 incidents vs. 14,689) for the first half of this year. The murder statistic reflected a larger all-time citywide low, with a 24.7% decrease in murders year to date.
However, while NYPD reported additional citywide lows in shooting incidents and shooting victims (besting previous year records by 4 percent and 5%, respectively), Manhattan’s solo statistics painted a different picture.
The NYPD database separates Manhattan into two districts: North (precincts 19-34) and South (precincts 1-18). For Manhattan North, Jan. 1 to June 28, NYPD reported a 39.4% increase in shooting victims and 26.7% increase in shooting incidents compared to 2025’s year to date statistics.
Similarly, Manhattan South reported a 37.5% increase in shooting victims and 25.0% increase in shooting incidents from Jan. 1 to June 28 this year.
In Manhattan, the NYPD also reported a decrease of nearly 10% for burglary and a decrease of nearly 20% for auto theft in the first six months of the year.
In the first half of the year, hate crime rates increased by 7.7% (322 vs. 299), throughout the city. Out of the 322 confirmed hate crimes, 178 (55.3%) were anti-Jewish hate crimes, despite Jewish New Yorkers making up only 10% of the city’s population. Manhattan’s own hate crime rates spiked, at increased levels compared to the citywide average. Hate crimes increased by 10.5% in Manhattan South and by 47.1% in Manhattan North for the first six months of the year.
Overall, NYPD reported a near 6% decline of major crime citywide, led primarily by a 12% decline in the Bronx borough, for the first six months of 2026. The Bronx has been getting special attention by the NYPD, and recently split into two patrol boroughs, which is the same arrangement for all boroughs except Staten Island.
The NYPD commended officers for their efforts in citywide crime declines, particularly amidst a series of NY public festivities, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Knicks’ NBA finals win.
“New York City’s public safety progress is the result of precision policing and the extraordinary work of the men and women of the NYPD,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated. “They are going after the guns, taking down violent gangs, building the cases, making the arrests, and working foot posts that help keep neighborhoods safe. The result is the fewest shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders for the first half of any year in recorded history, along with major crime reductions across the city. These numbers reflect focused enforcement, targeted deployments, and noble police work. New Yorkers owe their NYPD officers a debt of gratitude for their extraordinary service to our city.”
As was the case for the first five months city crime statistics — where Manhattan aligned with the city’s rates for murders but not shootings and hate crimes.