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Hochul: Shooting Incidents Drop in GIVE Communities

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New York State officials report that shooting incidents with injury have continued to decline across the 28 communities participating in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. According to new data submitted to the State Division of Criminal Justice Services, shootings with injury have fallen 60 percent statewide in GIVE jurisdictions since 2021, reaching the lowest levels recorded for the first 11 months of any year since tracking began in 2006.

From January through November 2025, GIVE police departments reported 477 shooting incidents with injury, down from 558 during the same period in 2024. The number of individuals shot decreased from 689 to 547, a 21 percent decline. Gun-related deaths also dropped, with 87 fatalities reported through November compared to 116 during the same period last year.

Albany, Buffalo, and Syracuse recorded some of the largest reductions in gun violence. Albany Police Department saw the sharpest year-over-year decline, reporting a 47 percent drop in shooting incidents with injury and a 44 percent decline in shooting victims for the January–November period.

The GIVE program provides approximately $36 million in state funding for participating police agencies and their county partners, including district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices. Funds support equipment, personnel, overtime, and specialized training aimed at reducing gun violence. These agencies collectively account for about 90 percent of firearm-involved violent crime reported outside New York City.

State officials also highlighted the work of the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center, based at Albany Police Headquarters. Part of a statewide network of 11 centers, it supports law enforcement agencies across 11 counties by analyzing crime data and assisting investigations. Through October, the center handled more than 13,000 service requests from police and prosecutors.

The GIVE initiative focuses on evidence-based strategies and interagency coordination to reduce gun-related crime in communities outside New York City. Officials say the latest statistics indicate continued progress as departments and partner agencies prepare for 2026.

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