The variety of juveniles shot in New York Metropolis has surged 15% % up to now this 12 months over final, and has skyrocketed 114% in comparison with pre-pandemic 2018, in line with NYPD information.
The variety of teen shooters declined by 5% this 12 months up to now over final, however rose a dramatic 70% since 2018.
At this level in 2018, there have been 14 juvenile capturing victims in comparison with 30 up to now in 2025. There have been 10 juvenile shooters in comparison with 17 in these years, respectively, the information exhibits.
The teenager victims up to now this 12 months embody Juan Jose Pena, an 18-year-old hoping to hitch the Navy who was gunned down round 1:25 a.m. Feb. 2 on Park Avenue close to East 176th Road within the Bronx, police mentioned.
Since his demise, his heartbroken mom has taken her three remaining kids and fled to the Dominican Republic, his aunt Shery Olivo advised The Publish.
“She doesn’t wish to come again,” Olivo mentioned. “She nonetheless has three kids to care for. She doesn’t assume they’re protected right here.”
A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with homicide, manslaughter and legal possession of a weapon in Pena’s demise, police mentioned. Cops had been attempting to find two extra suspects, police mentioned.
Pena, who had no legal historical past, had simply texted his mom he was on his method residence moments earlier than he was minimize down, the household mentioned.
“My nephew died 10 months in the past and he did nothing improper,” the aunt mentioned. “The one who killed my nephew remains to be on the market within the streets, possibly committing one other crime and getting away with it whereas my sister is crying each single day. I don’t assume they’re doing sufficient.”
Oliva is alarmed concerning the variety of teenagers being gunned down and carryng weapons within the metropolis, she mentioned.
“When is that this going to finish?” she requested. “What are the elected officers doing? Don’t they care about what’s happening within the metropolis. That is unhealthy . . . it’s getting worse. We don’t have legislation and order anymore.”
To mother Yanely Henriquez, the sick statistics brings again the ache she suffered when her 16-year-old honor scholar daughter, Angellyh Yambo, was fatally shot in 2022 by 17-year-old Jeremiah Ryan within the Bronx.
“It’s unlucky as a result of it’s going to proceed to occur day-after-day,” she advised The Publish this week. “The elected officers ought to be doing extra. That is alarming. It means extra children are going to die identical to my daughter.”
She wish to take her kids and transfer away too however she needs to remain near her daughter’s grave.
“I want I may take my children and go elsewhere however attributable to my daughter being buried right here, I’m caught right here,” she mentioned. “I don’t wish to keep in New York. My daughter and I had been going to maneuver to Florida however we’re caught right here, she is buried right here.”
She mentioned children in the present day don’t respect the legislation.
“I fear when my kids go outdoors,” she mentioned. “I’m at all times calling. . . it’s a continuing battle. That’s one thing I’ve to stay with for the remainder of my life.”
Retired NYPD Assistant Commissioner of Youth Methods Kevin O’Connor believes Elevate the Age laws that forestalls courts from charging suspects beneath 18 as adults is a significant contributor to the rise in shootings amongst youth.
“Youth crime in NYC is simply down 4% in comparison with final 12 months,” whereas total crime is down 18%, he mentioned. “It’s mainly flat. It’s all due to ‘Elevate the Age.’ No one’s being prosecuted within the juvenile world.”
The “Elevate the Age” legislation mandates minors caught with firearms seem in Household Court docket. Earlier than the legislation modified, 16- and 17-year-olds had been arraigned in legal court docket and plenty of of them ended up jailed on Rikers Island.
A part of the issue is that judges aren’t clued in on a teen’s prior prices, which has led to rampant recidivism, mentioned O’Connor.
“The judges can’t see prior historical past when a child is introduced earlier than them,” O’Connor mentioned.
“You’ll want to empower the decide to make a full willpower on the child in entrance of them, which they can not do proper now,” he mentioned. “Then, they’ll really save this child from turning into a profession legal.”
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