The Bronx saw a 1.79% rise in major crime for the year through Dec. 15, 2024, compared to the same period last year, driven by increases in shootings and reported rapes, according to NYPD data.
For the 11-and-a-half-month period ending Dec. 15, the Bronx experienced a 6.6% rise in shooting incidents, with the number of shooting victims increasing by 10.7% compared to last year. Reported rapes surged 22% year-over-year, climbing from 348 to 425 cases. Murders decreased by 5%, from 120 in 2023 to 114 this year.
While homicides dropped slightly, several high-profile murders and violent incidents underscored the borough’s ongoing public safety challenges.
Many incidents took place in the 46th Precinct, covering Fordham and Morris Heights, where shootings were up 14%, with the number of shooting victims up 16.4% year-over-year. In response, Mayor Eric Adams launched the “Every Block Counts” initiative earlier this year, targeting crime hotspots in the precinct with multi-agency resources. The hotspots include Morris Avenue and Walton Avenue.
Chronology of High-Profile Murders and Shootings
- March 5: In a dismemberment case that shocked the community, Collin Small’s remains were found in Highbridge. Sheldon Johnson Jr. was later arrested.
- March 30: A 2-year-old boy was struck by a stray bullet on East Fordham Road. The toddler survived. On the same day, a 25-year-old man was killed, and a 23-year-old was injured in a double shooting near East 187th Street in Fordham Heights.
- May 24: A violent clash between migrant squatters and residents resulted in the shooting deaths of Claretha Daniels and Justin Lawless.
- Aug. 2: Miguel Cruz, 47, was fatally shot outside 1600 Sedgwick Ave.
- Aug. 23: Over a 24-hour period, three people were critically injured in separate shootings across the borough.
- Sept. 14: Sakou Saho, 31, was killed in a double shooting on Sheridan Avenue near the Grand Concourse. A second victim survived.
- Oct. 30: A man fatally shot his mother and stepfather before taking his own life near a Southern Boulevard daycare center. The daycare facility was not impacted.
- Nov. 9: In Mott Haven, 17-year-old Xavier Navarez was shot multiple times in the back at Beekman Avenue. He later died.
Other Major Violent Crimes
- Aug. 2: Authorities arrested 35 gang members, charging them with 260 counts of conspiracy, robbery, and attempted murder.
- Dec. 10: In a raid in Belmont, authorities seized 12 kilograms of fentanyl, leading to one arrest. The building also housed daycare centers, but no children were harmed.
