CRIME CREEPING UP
Murder, rape & Manhattan mayhem rise in new stats
Murders, rapes and the Manhattan crime rate are up, the NYPD revealed on Wednesday.
At the same time, however, fewer people have been shot this year citywide and the crime rate for the city — comprising rapes, murders and five other major crimes — is down 1%.
Police Commissioner James O'Neill said the city had “a very safe summer” that was capped off with a pair of major events — the U.S. Open tennis tournament and the UN General Assembly.
“The NYPD does a tremendous job at safeguarding all the visitors to our great city while balancing the absolute need to relentlessly fight crime and keep New Yorkers safe in every neighborhood,” O'Neill said.
The increase in murders has slowed since the start of the summer.
Still, after nine months, 228 people have been killed — 13 more, 6%, than the 215 slain through the same time last year.
Most of murder rise has taken place in the Bronx, where 70 people have been killed, 14 more than last year.
Rape numbers have also increased this year in the city by 28% — from 1,053 last year to 1,348, stats show.
Police have said for about a year that more women sexually assaulted months or even years earlier are filing reports, a byproduct of the #MeToo movement.
More stolen motorcycles and mopeds and electronics have contributed to the 3% crime rise in Manhattan, with 662 more serious crimes this year compared to last year.
O'Neill said he does not believe the increased willingness to report sexual crimes would be dampened by President Trump's harsh comments about Dr.
Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
“I think the work that we do, with the advocates, help us get that message out there, that we're looking for all victims of sexual assault to come forward, to give us the opportunity to stop it by investigating it,” he said. “Might be too soon to tell, but we don't see that happening in New York City because of what's going on in Washington.”