Harlem World: D.A. Bragg Announces Declines In Homicides And Shootings In Harlem For Summer 2025
August 14, 2025
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced a continued significant decline in gun violence in Harlem through summer 2025.
As of August 10th, overall homicides and shootings in the NYPD precincts encompassing West, Central and East Harlem – the 23rd, 25th, 26th, 28th, 30th and 32nd precincts – dropped by 40% year-to-date. Shootings in those precincts decreased by 28% throughout those same precincts year-to-date. These stats mirror a significant decline in shootings throughout the entire borough. As of August 10th, homicides are down 41% and shootings are down 35% in Manhattan year-to-date.
Homicides are down 41% and shootings are down 67% compared to the same time in 2021, before D.A. Bragg took office.
“Combatting gun violence remains my top priority as District Attorney, and we are doing the work. From aggressive prosecutions to proactive investigations and targeted community investments, we are using every tool available to get guns off our streets and hold people who commit violence accountable,” said District Attorney Bragg. “I am a lifelong Harlem resident and I am proud to still call the neighborhood my home. I am encouraged to see that, like the rest of the borough, homicides and shootings in the area are down significantly and continue to trend in the right direction. For too long, Upper Manhattan residents have been the victims of chronic gun violence, and we will continue to deploy our resources towards these areas so everyone can live with the safety they deserve.”
Homicides have decreased or remained stable in four of the six precincts. The 23rd Precinct in East Harlem has a notable 71% decrease in homicides year-to-date. The 25th Precinct in East Harlem saw 0 homicides year-to-date, compared to 7 at this time in 2024 – a drop of 100%. The 30th Precinct, which covers parts of West Harlem, also saw homicides down 66% year-to-date.
Shootings are down at least 10% in all six precincts. In particular, the 30th precinct had a 50% drop in shootings, which was the highest of all the precincts.
These numbers are due to our holistic and targeted approach to tackling gun violence.
Combatting Violent Crime and Shootings:
The office aggressively prosecutes those committing acts of gun violence. Notable cases include:
Indictment of Wilfred Cruz for allegedly firing shots at the East Harlem store belonging to the current boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend in June 2025.
Trial conviction of two individuals for fatally shooting a man during a gunpoint robbery in Harlem in March 2023.
Takedown of the “Fast Life” criminal enterprise, based in East and West Harlem, for a wide range of alleged street crimes and financial fraud.
Earlier this year, the Office announced major takedowns of violent crews responsible for wreaking havoc across East Harlem, including in which two rival crews allegedly engaged in months of retributive shootings. These shootings accounted for approximately 50% of the shootings in the 23rd Precinct from March 25 to September 30, 2024.
Combatting Ghost and 3D-Printed Guns:
In addition to traditional gun cases, the Office has proactively brought cases against defendants who have manufactured or sold ghost guns, gun parts and 3D-printed firearms. To further curb the proliferation of these weapons, in March the Office called on 3D-printing companies to adopt additional security measures to deter the spread of 3D-printed guns and gun parts. Since that announcement, the Office has sent a letter to Bambu Labs, one of the most popular 3D-printing manufacturers.
In May, the Office proposed legislation alongside Senator Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Rosenthal to combat the proliferation of auto sears, which are small devices that can turn a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic one. In July, the Office announced joint steps with Thingiverse, a digital design platform which hosts digital files for 3D-printed products, to combat the spread of homemade firearms. In response, Thingiverse deployed automated technology to rapidly detect and remove digital files for 3D-printed firearms, taking immediate and proactive steps to enforce its Acceptable Use Policy.
Community Investments:
For the fourth consecutive year, the Manhattan D.A.’s Office awarded significant funding to community-based organizations to compensate young New Yorkers by engaging them in meaningful programming aimed at addressing root causes of youth gun violence. This year’s funding of $295,000 – up from previous years – invests into 11 organizations, several in which are in communities most impacted by gun violence such as Harlem. The Office provided this funding through its Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (“CJII”), which was created using millions seized in the Office’s investigations against major banks.
Additionally, every other week, our office convenes with our partners from community-based organizations, the Department of Youth and Community Development (“DYCD”), the Department of Education (“DOE”) and the NYPD to share information and collaborate on youth gun violence prevention strategies in Harlem and on the Lower East Side. We also bring the voice of our younger communities to the table through our Gun Violence Prevention Fellows, who are working in our Community Partnerships Unit for the summer.
