NYC expected to record double-digit dip in murders for 2022

New York City is on pace for a double-digit percentage dip in murders this year as police records show a small improvement in closing homicide cases.

As of Sunday, there were 418 murders in the Big Apple, down 13.1% from the 481 figure in 2021, signaling the NYPD has made some headway on reversing the pandemic-era spike.

The dip in homicides is being attributed to the reduction in shootings this year; police data shows a 17% drop — from 1,543 to 1,280.

“As far as shootings and homicides, it looks like we’re going to finish the year substantially down — about 15% in homicides, about 15% to 20% in shootings,” Chief of Detectives James Essig said Wednesday night on the Cats at Night Show on WABC 770 AM.

There was an unprecedented surge in shootings during the pandemic, leading to some of the highest levels of homicides in the last decade. 

In 2020, murders shot up to 468 and increased another 4% to 485 in 2021. 

Homicides haven’t topped 500 since 2011, but there’s been a sharp drop of nearly 100, into the low 400s.

The NYPD also reported a small increase in the number of murder cases solved, Essig said.

“The detectives this year have arrested close to 1,400 people for either shootings or homicides,” the chief said. 

“We’re nowhere near where we want to be. We want to get back to those 2018, early 2019 crime levels … Hopefully, we’ll see some more progress in the coming year.”

The NYPD has also seen a small increase in the number of murder cases solved, Essig said.

Cops solved about 65% of homicides so far this year, according to Essig — up a few percentage points from the last two years.

The pre-pandemic rate of closing homicide cases was 90%.