NYC Marks Historic Five-Day Stretch Without Shootings, Streak Ends Abruptly

Just minutes after making the announcement of the historic period of peace, a shooting was reported in Brooklyn.

New York City experienced an unprecedented five-day stretch without a reported shooting this week—the longest such period in at least 30 years. However, the historic streak came to an abrupt end late Thursday night when two separate shootings occurred within hours of each other.

The NYPD acknowledged the milestone in a statement, crediting the department’s efforts for the rare period of peace.

“For the first time in 30 years, there have been zero shooting victims in New York City for five days. This is the longest we’ve gone without a shooting victim since the beginning of the CompStat era and is a result of the brave work that the members of the NYPD do every day,” the department announced on social media.

But just minutes after making the announcement, a shooting was reported in Brooklyn.

A 34-year-old man was shot in both of his legs after authorities say he had crashed into a parked vehicle, leading to an argument with a man who claimed to know the vehicle's owner. The confrontation escalated, and the suspect shot the driver twice before fleeing on foot. Police described the shooter as a man in his 60s wearing gray sweatpants.

Then, just a few hours later, around 1 a.m. Friday, a 17-year-old was shot in the leg outside a laundromat in the Bronx. According to police, the teen encountered two men, one of whom fired at him before both fled the scene. The suspects were described as wearing black clothing and blue face masks.

No arrests have been made in either case.

Despite the break in the streak, the NYPD’s latest crime data suggests an overall decline in gun violence. Through Sunday, 45 people had been shot in the city so far this year, the same number as the previous year. However, the number of shooting incidents are down by more than 25%, with 29 reported this year compared to 39 in the same period last year.

City officials also highlighted progress in firearm seizures, reporting that over 20,000 illegal guns have been confiscated since 2022. Among those were more than 1,400 ghost guns which have become a growing concern to authorities nationwide.

The latest gun seizures mark a significant increase compared to the previous three-year period from 2019 to 2021, during which 3,000 fewer weapons were recovered.

While the peaceful five-day pause in shootings offered a glimpse of a safer New York City, the incidents that followed serve as a reminder of the persistent challenge of gun violence. Law enforcement officials continue to investigate both shootings.