NYC mayor says city is relatively safe, violent crime only a ‘perception’

New York City Mayor Eric Adams raised eyebrows this week after saying the fear of violent crime in the city is more a ‘perception’ than a reality.

Adams discussed the rise in violent crime during a press conference on Monday, telling reporters the number of guns in the city is to blame. In spite of the fact that only a few crimes have been committed on the New York City subway in recent years, Adams cited firearms as the main contributor for subway violence.

“There are too many guns on our streets. Those guns that are on our streets, they’re also in our subway system, they’re also in our schools, they’re everywhere we are as innocent New Yorkers,” the mayor said.

According to Neighborhood Scout, New York City currently ranks 19 on the crime index, with 100 being the safest. Of the eight murders that have occurred on the New York City subway in 2022, only three were committed by guns. Adams claims the fear people in the Big Apple are experiencing following the rise in violent crime is merely perceived. 

“We are dealing with actual crime. Those 8 homicides and the perception of fear that people are feeling,” Adams said.

He continued to downplay the crime rate, citing the city’s high population. “We can’t get away from the fact we have 3.5 million people using our subway system,” he said. “We have to be honest about that and those average of six crimes a day is not giving the perception our system is out of control.”

The NYC government recently released crime statistics for August that showed crime was up 26 percent from a year prior. So far, violent crime on the subway system in the city this year is on pace to set a 25-year high.