Introduction to Brooklyn Crime Statistics
Rape and shootings rose in Brooklyn last month, data show, though the overall crime rate declined.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Major crimes in Brooklyn were down slightly in September, according to the latest NYPD statistics, though reports of several felonies spiked, as did gun violence.
Overall Crime Rate in Brooklyn
During the 28-day period from Sept. 1-28, major felonies — murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto — dipped 1.6%, from 2,361 incidents reported during the same period last year to 2,509 this year.
Grand larceny auto dropped a dramatic 25%, followed by burglary, which fell 10%, and assault, which was down by a more modest 3%.
Overall crime has been declining in Brooklyn and across the city for months. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Spikes in Crime
But the statistics are not entirely rosy. Murder remained flat, with nine killings reported across the borough in September. Rape jumped by 4.6% — after also rising in August — and robbery and grand larceny auto continued to trend upward.
Some of Brooklyn’s spikes broke with citywide trends.
Citywide Trends
Across the five boroughs, rape was down more than 13% in September, per the NYPD, after trending upward for months. Still, so far this year, rape is up 18% across the city and 10% in Brooklyn. Police have attributed the increase to a law passed last year that broadened the legal definition of rape.
Outside of the major felonies, UCR Rape was up about 2% in Brooklyn in September, while non-rape sex crimes skyrocketed by 25%, from 94 incidents reported from Sept. 1-28, 2024 to 118 during the same period this year.
Shootings in Brooklyn
While the city celebrated nine months of historically-low rates of gun violence, shootings were up 20% year-over-year in Brooklyn, from 20 to 24. September marked the second straight month of rising gun violence in the borough, which until August had enjoyed months of historically-low shootings.
The scene of a Cypress Hills shooting that left a 20-year-old man dead on Sept. 4.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Seven people were injured in three different shootings on and near the West Indian Day Parade route on Sept. 1, including a 21-year-old shot in the chest and a 14-year-old struck in the hand and back.
Incidents Involving Young People
A number of the borough’s other shootings involved young people. On Sept. 4, two people were shot — one, a 20-year-old man, fatally — in broad daylight in East New York. Two days later, an unknown gunman shot a 19-year-old in the leg inside a Bed-Stuy public housing complex.
On Sept. 17, 24-year-old Ramel Ingram was fatally shot outside his home in Prospect Park South. Police later arrested the 21-year-old man they suspected of killing him.
One man was shot and killed by police on Sept. 7 after he allegedly entered the 73rd Precinct police station in Brownsville and slashed an officer with a knife.
Year-to-Date Shootings
Despite September’s spike, shootings in Brooklyn are down 11% year-to-date, and have dropped more than 20% citywide so far this year.
A truck driver killed a pedestrian in a hit-and-run on Sept. 14. Traffic deaths rose in Brooklyn in September.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Transit Crime
Transit crime also dipped 6.7% year-over-year in Brooklyn last month and dropped a more dramatic 16.8% citywide.
NYPD Response
“The NYPD’s precision policing has delivered record-low shooting incidents and victims over the last nine months, and the safest quarter ever on our subways,” said NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch in an Oct. 1 statement. “This is not a coincidence — it’s the result of an unprecedented, data-driven deployment of thousands of officers to the areas they are needed most.”
Traffic-Related Incidents
Safety on buses and subways, however, did not translate to safety on the streets, as eight people died in traffic-related incidents between Sept. 1-28, a 60% jump compared to last year.
On Sept. 14, a driver was arrested and charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving, speeding, and disobeying traffic signals after a three-car crash in Gowanus that killed one person and injured four others. The same week, a truck driver killed a 69-year-old woman in a hit-and-run in Crown Heights. Police later found the driver, according to Gothamist, but did not arrest him.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the overall crime rate in Brooklyn declined in September, there were spikes in certain types of crime, including rape and shootings. The NYPD has attributed the increase in rape to a law passed last year that broadened the legal definition of rape. Despite the spikes, shootings in Brooklyn are down 11% year-to-date, and transit crime has dipped 6.7% year-over-year.
FAQs
Q: What was the overall trend in major crimes in Brooklyn in September?
A: Major crimes in Brooklyn were down slightly in September, according to the latest NYPD statistics.
Q: What types of crime increased in Brooklyn in September?
A: Rape and shootings increased in Brooklyn in September, with rape jumping by 4.6% and shootings rising by 20% year-over-year.
Q: What has been the trend in shootings in Brooklyn year-to-date?
A: Despite September’s spike, shootings in Brooklyn are down 11% year-to-date.
Q: What has been the trend in transit crime in Brooklyn?
A: Transit crime has dipped 6.7% year-over-year in Brooklyn.
Q: What was the cause of the increase in rape in Brooklyn?
A: The NYPD has attributed the increase in rape to a law passed last year that broadened the legal definition of rape.
