Street Soldiers: Why are more teens turning to guns?
Teen gangs and guns | Street Soldiers
Even though reported shootings in New York City are down, officials are reporting one disturbing trend: the age of those pulling the trigger is getting younger and younger. Street Soldiers host Lisa Evers talks to experts about why teens and kids are lured into the criminal lifestyle and what can be done.
NEW YORK CITY - Even though reported shootings in New York City are down, officials are reporting one disturbing trend: the age of those pulling the trigger is getting younger and younger.
Why are more teens turning to guns?
What they're saying:
The NYPD said shooting incidents in the city declined by 7.3% in 2024, which comes on the heels of a double-digit drop in 2023 of 24.7%.
‘Two cars, four guns, riddle that house with bullets, with children sleeping inside. Think about that for a second. Those 4 guns come back to an additional 17 shootings," Jason Savino, NYPD assistant chief of detectives, said.
Instead of wide net gang sweeps, police focus on the small percentage of gang members who are active trigger pullers.
"We know that these cases are the most single, influential factor that drives down violence, period. Bar none. We’ve seen it over and over again," Savino said.

The NYPD said the average age of case subjects continues to be trending downward.
In 2023, the average age was 23. In 2024, that dropped to 21. Many were in their teens when they first fired a gun.
"It’s a smaller number of people that commit the larger number of crimes, and if you concentrate on that smaller number of people, you’re going to be more prone to success in terms of bringing in the right person," former NYPD lieutenant Darrian Porcher said.
Many of the suspects charged in these shootings first got involved in gang life in their early teens.
"I think a large part of that is the lack of prevention and also the lack of intervention, right? So if we’re seeing this happen over and over again, something’s not happening to intercede to make sure these individuals avoid that life," licensed clinical social worker LaShawn Paul said.
Brooklyn community leader and sports management executive Tameek Floyd has a mentorship and leadership development program for teen boys called "Shooting for the Stars."
Floyd's goal is to give them a safe space where they can learn how to make healthy choices and talk about what they're feeling.
"They don’t know how to deal with trauma. You’re 12, 13 or 14 and your best friend gets killed, you don’t know how to deal with that, so you internalize that, and what we’re taught in our communities is we deal hurt with hurt," Floyd said.
Was crime in NYC up or down in 2024?
Big picture view:
According to NYPD statistics, overall crime was down in New York City in 2024 by around 3% compared to 2023, year to date.

Murders were down 3.8%, with 375 this past year as opposed to 390 in 2023. Robberies and burglaries also saw decreases.

"While there were thousands fewer victims of major crimes—including shootings, murders, robberies, and other violent acts—in 2024, there is still much more work to be done to keep New Yorkers safe, to make them feel safe, and to improve their overall quality of life in the year ahead," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
It wasn't all good news, however. The city saw an 18.7% increase in rapes and a 4.9% increase in felony assaults.

On the subway and mass transit, felony assaults were up 65% from 2019 to 2024, according to the MTA. In 2019, 374 felony assaults were reported, while in 2024, 579 were reported.
The Source: This article contains previous reporting from FOX 5 NY and information from the NYPD.