New York City could see a record low in homicides in 2014, but the number of people shot is climbing, the New York Daily News reports. There were 120 homicides as of Sunday, compared with 142 in the same period last year. If the current rate continues, the city could see fewer than 300 homicides — its lowest ever.
The number of people hit by bullets continues to increase. There were 507 people shot this year through Sunday, up 13 percent over the 448 people shot during the same period in 2013. The data also show a huge 43 percent spike in people shot during the last four weeks compared to the same period last year — up to 129 from 90. Tom Repetto, an author and former police officer, believes shootings are on the rise because the New York Police Department isn't employing its controversial stop-and-frisk tactics as frequently as it did under former Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Current Commissioner Bill Bratton said fewer stops aren't causing the spike in shootings and that cops have other ways of targeting criminals.