Manhattan’s 28th Precinct has seen a spike in gang violence in the past month, leading the NYPD to implement a special patrol between Lenox and 5th Avenues and 112th and 116th Streets.
Paul Blake, the executive officer of the 28th Precinct, delivered a report on crime to the community at a Wednesday precinct meeting, discussing the spike in gang violence and taking questions from concerned residents. Blake said the increased presence in the specified zone has “no end date” set right now, and though the increased patrol is not 24/7, the NYPD is installing more cameras in the zone to try to identify the perpetrators, who the executive officer said are generally wearing masks.
In the 28-day period leading up to June 8, the precinct has seen 26 felony assaults — many of which have been concentrated near the King Towers New York City Housing Authority development — compared to 17 in the same period in 2024.
Some of the area’s recent instances of gun violence include the shooting of a 23-year-old near a school on May 29, the shooting of a 15-year-old on May 20 in front of King Towers during school pick-up, and the shooting of a grandmother in April, who was killed by a stray bullet.
Blake said the NYPD had identified several of the shootings as being gang-related.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced in April a gang crackdown, with Bragg, Mayor Eric Adams, and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announcing charges for 16 defendants who had been accused of being involved in 21 shootings in Harlem and East Harlem over the course of several months in 2024. Residents have raised concerns that despite this high-profile crackdown, the area is still facing gang violence.
28th Precinct Community Council Vice President Staci Ramos urged residents at Wednesday’s community meeting to work with the NYPD and engage with local organizations to protect themselves and their neighbors. She also urged residents to attend other frequent community meetings, like Community Board 10 meetings, to express concerns and work with local elected officials to resolve the neighborhood’s gun violence issues.
“You need to go to those meetings in addition to this meeting and express, the elected officials are there, all the people are there, resources are there to help the young people that are in a real serious epidemic, a pandemic, or whatever you want to call it with these guns,” Ramos said.
Community Affairs Liaison for state Sen. Cordell Cleare, Aziz Moore, said that Cleare, who lives in Harlem, is aware of the recent surge in gun violence in the area and is open to having direct conversations with residents to discuss what can be done to curb the issue.
Several residents at Wednesday’s meeting also raised concerns about substance abuse, mental health crises, and homelessness in the neighborhood. Moore said that handling the substance abuse crisis in Harlem, particularly open drug use, is “not something that’s just going to end.” He said that though Cleare is a state senator, her home is in Harlem and she is dedicated to dealing with local issues facing her neighbors.
Jake McGhee, the 28th Precinct Community Council’s president, advised residents to contact the police if they see gang activity, rather than approach the individuals. McGhee and Ramos both emphasized the role of community safety nets, particularly outreach to young men, in curbing gun violence.
“If you see a crime going on, just see the colors they have on and then make the call, do not approach them,” McGhee said. “We don’t want you to get hurt.”
