The lights are coming down and Christmas trees have been put on the curb. With 2022 in the rearview mirror, how did New York City fare on public safety this holiday season?
According to the NYPD, shootings were down this New Years from five to three. In Times Square, the ball drop meant high alert for the city.
“[T]he goal of public safety is both seen and intentionally unseen,” said Mayor Eric Adams on Dec. 30. “The NYPD and our other local public safety apparatus—they’re going to have a visible presence, but at the same time, they’re going to be among the crowds so that people don’t know exactly who’s present and who’s here. We want you to be safe this time of the year during the celebration, bringing in 2023. Want you to enjoy yourselves.
“And then go on our website—get the items that will slow up your screening into the safety area. There’s certain items you cannot bring into the safety zone; the safety area that we have. Become knowledgeable of it beforehand so you can come in without a problem.”
Notably, one of those items was concealed-carry firearms, which New York State fought tooth-and-nail in court to keep from “sensitive zones” like Times Square this year. Despite the city’s efforts to secure the world-famous commercial intersection, three NYPD officers were slashed by a machete-like blade at an entrance checkpoint. The attacker was shot in the shoulder and brought in alive, and is charged with two counts of attempted assault and attempted murder of a police officer, according to the NYPD.
Between Christmas and New Year’s, index crime was down by 6.2% compared to last year. Precincts in Manhattan North and Brooklyn South saw even larger dips, along with a strong reduction in shootings. But violence still left a tragic mark, including a 17-year-old Brooklyn teen fatally shot on Dec. 30.
After New Year’s, several high-profile public safety cases moved forward, including Sunset Park subway shooter Frank James pleading guilty to terrorism and gun charges on Jan. 3. The 61-year-old set off smoke bombs on a crowded train before opening fire last April, injuring 10 people. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the attack had been coordinated since 2017.
On the same day, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg announced that 16-year-old Saniyah Lawrence’s alleged killer and boyfriend Zyaire Crumbley, 18, was indicted for her murder. She was fatally stabbed in Central Harlem on Dec. 11.
Beyond violence, New York City—like much of the East Coast—saw dangerously chilly weather thanks to Winter Storm Elliott in late December. On Dec. 22, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a state of emergency for all of New York due to the winter storm. Reportedly more than 30 people in Western New York died from weather conditions. In South Queens, flooding left neighborhoods underwater and out of power in freezing temperatures, forcing New Yorkers to spend Christmas weekend evacuating by wading through floodwaters.
Adams received criticism for taking a trip to the Virgin Islands during the cold streak. He later explained that he left town to reflect on the loss of his late mother.
Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.