Cities across the US have registered massive increases in crime, including surges in violent crime, following the wave of riots which began in late May.
In New York City, the number of shootings soared following the outbreak of rioting in the spring and calls to defund local police.
According to statistics collected by the New York Police Department and published by The New York Post, there have been more shooting incidents recorded in the city this year between January and August 2nd than during all of 2019.
A total of 776 shooting incidents were reported last year, while 777 were recorded in 2020 as of August 2nd.
“It only gets worse from here,” said retired NYPD sergeant Joseph Giacalone.
“As the shootings continue, so will retaliation. It’s a vicious cycle that the NYPD worked hard to mitigate, but that they are no longer able and in some cases willing to do.”
Thus far, 942 people have been killed or wounded in the 777 shooting incidents reported across the city this year.
In Portland, Oregon, where riots have been ongoing since late May, the number of homicide investigations in a single month has risen to the highest level in more than 30 years.
Fifteen homicides were reported in July, with 63 total non-suicide shooting incidents recorded. That’s more than double the 28 shootings reported in July of 2019. In June, 62 shootings were reported, twice the 31 recorded during June 2019.
In May, there were just five more shootings in 2020 as compared to May 2019, with 42 shootings compared to 37 in May of last year, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Denver, Colorado reported a 42% increase in homicides for the period of January through July of this year, as compared to the same period in 2019, KDVR reported.
Chicago, which already had one of the highest homicide rates in the country, recorded a 139% increase in murders this July in comparison with July 2019.
This despite police reporting an overall decrease in crime in 2020.
A total of 105 murders were reported in July 2020, compared to 44 in July of 2019, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.
There was also a 75% increase in the number of shootings reported in the city this July in comparison with July 2019, rising from 232 shooting incidents to 406. In those shootings, a total of 573 people were killed or wounded, including at least 58 minors.
As of the 1st of August, there have been 430 homicides reported in Chicago in 2020, an increase of 51% in comparison with the same period of time in 2019. Shootings have risen 47% during the same period of time.
