The most violent of crimes continues to plague East Flatbush.
According to the latest 67th Precinct statistics, there have been 20 reported murders so far in 2009 while there were 18 in all of 2008.
While the number is still well below the 54 reported murders in 1990, the precinct’s commanding officer Dep. Inspector Corey Pegues remains determined to bring violent crime down.
“I’m very disturbed about the violence and the gun violence to be specific,” said Pegues.
Pegues said shooting incidents are also up for theyear with 67 incidents so far in 2009 as compared to 63 all of last year.
This includes 78 people being shot in these incidents that have lived, he said.
“I’m thinking about the 20 people who were murdered this year. I’m thinking about their families and what they must be going through,” said Pegues.
“I’m also thinking about the 78 people that got shot this year. Some are paraplegic. Some lost eyes. Some will be limping the rest of their lives or are using walking canes,” he added.
Pegues noted at the same time, police in the precinct have made 158 gun arrests, the fifth best citywide.
The precinct led the city in gun arrests the past two years.
Pegues continued to put out the call for residents to let police know of any illegal guns in the community.
There are several programs in which citizens can get cash rewards for turning in guns no questions asked, he said.
“One of my goals for next year is to get the entire community involved in taking guns off street,” he said.
Corresponding to violent crime are felony assaults, which are up more than 15 percent for the year.
There have been 449 reported felony assaults sofar this year as compared to 390 at this time in 2008.
On the flip side, major felony crime overall is down nearly 11 percent in the precinct.
The leading categories in this reduction are grand larceny, which is down about 23 percent for the year, and robbery, which is down 21 percent for the year.
There have been 456 reported grand larcenies so far this year as compared to 594 at this time last year, and 374 reported robberies in 2009 as compared to 475 at this time last year.
Auto theft is down nearly 11 percent with 254 reported incidents so far this year as compared to 285 at this time in 2008.
Burglary is down slightly with 404 reported incidents so far in 2009 as compared to 426 at this time last year.
Reported rape is even with 20 thus far this year and 20 thus far last year.
