Of the firearms seized, 1,239 were recovered in Brooklyn, 1,095 in Manhattan, 1,055 in the Bronx, 868 in Queens, and 246 on Staten Island. The NYPD also seized 270 ghost guns, which are unserialized and untraceable firearms.
Officials said efforts to remove illegal guns and dismantle dangerous gangs have contributed to record lows in shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders during the first nine months of 2026.
Compared with the peak in gun violence recorded in 2021, shooting incidents and shooting victims have both declined by nearly 60% citywide.
“Since the beginning of this year, the NYPD has taken over 4,500 guns off our streets and driven shootings and murders to historic lows,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, crediting targeted policing and cooperation with prosecutors for the progress.
Attorney General Letitia James said the seizures complement community gun buyback initiatives. Her office’s programs have recovered more than 10,500 guns statewide since 2019.
Manhattan District Attorney Bragg said shootings in Manhattan were down 67% and homicides down 61% compared with 2021. Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark highlighted the removal of more than 1,000 guns from the Bronx this year, while Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez credited partnerships, enforcement, and prosecution for reductions in violence.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Queens recorded its fewest shooting incidents ever for the first nine months of the year. Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon also credited cooperation between prosecutors and police for improvements in public safety.
Gun Violence Declines
During the first nine months of 2026, shooting incidents fell by 11.6%, from 553 to 489 — 64 fewer than the previous record set in 2025.
Shooting victims declined by 14.4%, from 694 to 594, marking 100 fewer victims than the previous record set in 2018 and 2025. Compared with the same period in 2021, 846 fewer New Yorkers were shot.
Murders fell by 19.8%, from 253 to 203, which was 12 fewer than the previous record of 215 set in 2017. Brooklyn and Manhattan recorded their fewest murders for this period, with 57 and 24, respectively.
Violence Reduction Zones
Under the NYPD’s Summer Violence Reduction Plan, officers were deployed to areas and times where violence was most concentrated. From May 4 through September 14, major crime in the designated zones during deployment hours declined by 20.7%, from 2,388 incidents to 1,894.
Shooting incidents fell by 29.1%, from 79 to 56, while shooting victims declined by 26.7%, from 105 to 77. Robberies also decreased by 29.1%, from 640 to 454. The Bronx recorded the largest reduction in major crime in these zones, with incidents down 30.5%, from 1,007 to 700.