By: Jared Evan

Despite what nightly news chyrons and social media fear-mongering might suggest, New York City is currently experiencing some of the safest months in its modern history — and yet, many New Yorkers still feel like they’re living in a crime-ridden dystopia.

According to new NYPD data cited by The New York Post, the city logged just 112 homicides from January through May 2025 — the lowest number ever recorded for that time period, and one fewer than the previous record lows set in 2014 and 2017. Shootings are also down, with 264 incidents citywide, a slight drop from 267 in 2018. May alone saw just 18 murders and 54 shootings, both of which are also historic lows.

Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, seized on the numbers to tout his administration’s commitment to public safety. “The numbers prove that we have not just kept that promise — we have exceeded it,” Adams said. “From January to May 2025, New York City has seen the lowest number of shootings and homicides in recorded history.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch echoed Adams’ optimism, while also pointing a finger at the state’s bail reform laws for complicating their efforts. “Results like this never happen by accident,” she said, calling the department’s approach “data-driven” and rooted in putting “more cops in the right places at the right times.”

But here’s the paradox: even with shootings and murders at record lows, public perception of crime in NYC remains dire — thanks in large part to relentless media coverage and political narratives that frame the city as in the grip of chaos.

Local and national outlets often focus on sensational or violent incidents, painting a picture of Gotham as spiraling into lawlessness. Social media only amplifies that impression, with viral videos of isolated crimes fueling outrage, fear, and calls for crackdowns. The result? Many Americans — and even lifelong New Yorkers — believe crime is soaring, when in fact, it’s lower than it’s been in decades.

To put things into perspective:

• In 1990, NYC saw over 2,200 murders in one year.
• In the 1970s and ‘80s, crime was so rampant that terms like “Fear City” were used in tourism advisories.
• Shootings in the early 1990s routinely exceeded 5,000 annually — compared to just 264 so far in 2025.

That’s not just improvement — that’s a complete transformation of the city’s public safety landscape.

Even with official numbers showing major declines, some New Yorkers remain skeptical, wondering if statistics are being manipulated or underreported for political gain.

“It’s hard to believe things are getting better when you see what’s on the news,” one longtime Brooklyn resident told a local reporter. Others question whether crimes are being reclassified to appear less serious or if reports are being undercounted.

However, most experts agree that while no system is perfect, NYPD crime statistics are generally reliable — and in this case, reflect genuine progress.

Still, the disconnect between reality and perception may be the biggest obstacle for Mayor Adams as he heads into a contentious re-election campaign. While the data supports his claim that the city is safer under his watch, he continues to face public backlash from voters who feel less safe — not because of the facts, but because of the feeling.

If voters begin to accept that the city is safer, it could breathe new life into Adams’ embattled campaign.