Gunfire deaths double

Increase over ’19

Gotham gun violence has claimed nearly twice as many lives this year as it did last year, new NYPD figures show.

A total of 209 people were fatally shot in the city as of Wednesday, compared with 109 over the same period in 2019.

Overall, 1,362 people have been shot in 1,106 incidents this year as of Wednesday, more than double the 674 victims in 575 shooting incidents over the same span in 2019, data obtained by The Post shows.

The gun violence continued over the weekend, with at least a half-dozen more shooting victims logged on Saturday and Sunday — although none were reported killed, police said.

Two women and two men were wounded in a hail of bullets in Queens early Sunday morning, according to police.

The gunshots rang out at around 5 a.m. on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica opposite Roy Wilkins Park.

Police said a 23-year-old woman was hit in the leg, while another woman, 24, was shot in the foot. Two men, ages 26 and 27, were also shot in the leg, according to cops.

Two vehicles — a gray Jeep and a gray sedan — reportedly fled the scene after the gunplay, but there had been no arrests as of late Sunday, the NYPD said.

All four victims were taken to Jamaica Hospital, where all were expected to survive, police said.

About two hours earlier, at around 3 a.m., a 33-yearold man was shot once in the neck in Red Hook, Brooklyn, by an unknown gunman.

The victim had been standing outside 783 Hicks St. when he was hit, according to police.

He was taken to Methodist Hospital and was expected to survive.

On Saturday, a 39-yearold man was shot in the leg in Jackson Heights, Queens, after he was approached by two men on 89th Street at around 1:15 a.m.

He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries, according to officials.

Shootings have been on the rise across the city for much of the year, but began spiking in June.

The continued spate of gun violence comes as the NYPD has had to struggle with the coronavirus pandemic and face backlash from Black Lives Matter protesters.

The Post reported on Saturday that fewer shooting witnesses have been coming forward to authorities this year, making it more difficult for cops to crack down on the spiking gun violence.