New York subway murders rise 60%, approach a 25-year high

Violence in the New York subway system has increased significantly, with a 60% increase in homicides, approaching alarming figures not seen for 25 years.

As of Sept. 8, eight people have been killed on subway trains or in stations, compared with five murders during this time frame last year. The shocking total is near the 25-year high set in 2022 with a total of 10 murders, according to data from the New York Police Department (NYPD), as reported by the The New York Post.

Authorities have confiscated 43 guns and over 1,500 knives

For more than two decades, between 1997 and 2020, the New York City subway saw no more than five murders in a given year. However, the recent spike in transit violence has raised concerns among residents. Jakeba Dockery, whose husband was shot and killed in January while trying to break up a fight on a Brooklyn train, told the The New York Post: "It’s not a safe environment to be waiting for the train," adding, "It just feels evil."

To clean up the situation, earlier this year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the deployment of 750 troops from the National Guard to patrol busy transit stations. In addition, 1,000 NYPD officers were assigned to provide extra security on the subway system.

An NYPD spokesman stated, "This year alone, those very officers removed 43 guns (compared to 28 last year) and 1,536 knives (compared to 1,004 last year) from the subway system, the highest weapons seizure rates in the last decade."