By Hank Russell
Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a statewide decline in shooting incidents, injuries and deaths. While that may be the case, when looking deeper into the numbers, the statistics are a mixed bag, with Nassau and Suffolk going in opposite directions.
In 2025, preliminary data reported by GIVE agencies show 491 shooting incidents involving injury, a 16% decline compared to the previous year. The number of individuals shot decreased 22%, from 723 to 566, while fatalities from gun violence fell 23%, from 116 to 89.
“These numbers reflect real progress for families and communities across New York who deserve to be safe and to feel safe where they live, work, and raise their families,” Hochul said. “Public safety remains a top priority for my administration, and we will continue investing in the strategies and partnerships that are delivering results and strengthening communities statewide.”
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado added, “These results show that sustained, data-driven strategies are working. Reaching the lowest levels of gun violence across GIVE communities is an important milestone, but it’s not the finish line. With Governor Hochul’s leadership, we will keep building on this progress and continue doing the work needed to keep New Yorkers safe.”
But on Long Island, Nassau’s statistics outperformed Suffolk’s. In Nassau, the number of shooting incidents went down 44% from nine in 2024 to five last year, while, in Suffolk, there were 32 shootings in 2025 — up 23% from the previous year, when there were 26.
Nassau also saw a precipitous drop in shooting victims and those killed by shootings. The number of victims fell 71% to five last year, compared to 17 the previous year. In 2025, only one person was killed — an 80% decrease from 2024’s figure of five.
Meanwhile, Suffolk saw fewer victims but more killings. While the number of victims dropped slightly from 36 to 35 year over year, the number of killings doubled from five to 10.