Violent crime dropped significantly across Brooklyn during the first month of the new year, according to the latest NYPD statistics.
In the 28-day period from Jan. 4 to Feb. 2, the combined rate of major felonies — murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto — was down roughly 27% year-over-year.
Murder, gun violence declined in January
The new year was off to a notably better start than 2024, which saw at least 12 homicides in January alone. In the most recent 28-day period, five murders were reported across Brooklyn, a 61% drop.
Shootings were down by more than one-third, data shows, from 21 to 14, and the number of shooting victims dropped by about 33%. The statistics were consistent with a decline in shootings and homicide in 2024, which District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said was the “safest year for gun violence in Brooklyn’s history.”
Still, the borough saw a number of deadly shooting incidents. On Jan. 11, a 23-year-old man was shot and killed in Carroll Gardens; a day later, a 25-year-old dollar van driver was fatally shot by a competitor in Flatbush.
Crime statistics in Brooklyn were consistent with citywide trends. In January, major felonies across the five boroughs dropped by 16.8% year-over-year, and shootings were down by more than 21%.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the downturn was attributable to “zone-based policing,” where more officers are sent to areas algorithmically-categorized as “hot spots” experiencing high crime.
“January’s crime declines are an extraordinary testament to the work of our cops,” Tisch said in a statement. “Every day, we are analyzing crime numbers and optimizing our deployments to put cops in zones that need them. That’s starting to deliver real results. And New Yorkers can expect more of that data-driven policing to come.”
Rape continues to increase in Brooklyn
There was one outlier as rapes continued to rise despite the overall decrease in violent crime.
Year-over-year, rape was up by 40% citywide and 123% in Brooklyn, with 38 incidents reported in Kings County alone. UCR Rape, which includes a wider definition of the crime, and other sex crimes also skyrocketed in Brooklyn.
Reports of rape and sexual assault have been high in Brooklyn since last summer. The NYPD said the increase is partially due to a new law that expanded the definition of rape in New York State, and noted that some of the rapes reported citywide in January occurred in previous years. Many of those cases, the department said, were related to domestic violence.
Transit, hate crimes largely drop
From Jan. 4-Feb. 2, transit crime dropped significantly across Brooklyn, while hate crimes were split. In the Brooklyn South patrol, which includes 13 precincts from Park Slope to Coney Island, hate crimes rose by more than one-third, from six last year to eight this year. However, in Brooklyn North, which stretches from Williamsburg to Crown Heights, hate crimes were flat, with just one reported.
Traffic-related deaths rose slightly across the borough, with seven in total — five in Brooklyn South and two in Brooklyn North. That included the Jan. 10 death of 87-year-old Esther Sealy, who was hit by a minivan driver as she tried to cross the street in Canarsie.
