Paterson police report sharp drop in shootings, other crimes this summer
Shooting victims fell from 11 to three from June through August compared with the same period last year, according to statistics released by the department.
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Paterson police reported sharp declines in shootings and several other crime categories this summer compared with the same three-month period last year, according to statistics released by the department.
From June through August, Paterson police reported three shooting victims, down from 11 during the same period in 2025, a 73% decline. Shooting incidents also fell from 11 to three.
Police reported one murder during those three months, compared with four during the same period last year. Robberies fell 27%, from 102 to 74, while burglaries declined 23%, from 281 to 217.
Thefts fell 13%, aggravated assaults 6% and simple assaults 3%. Motor vehicle thefts were nearly unchanged, falling 1%.
The department's statistics also show declines in summer shootings compared with 2024. Paterson police reported 27 shooting victims from June through August 2024, compared with three this summer, an 89% decline over two years. Shooting incidents fell from 22 to three over the same period.
Several crime categories also down year to date
Through Aug. 30, total reported crime in the categories tracked by the department was down 16% compared with the same period in 2025, according to Paterson police.
Robberies were down 40%, burglaries 14%, auto thefts 16% and murders 31%.
Shooting incidents fell 55%, from 31 to 14, while the number of shooting victims declined 22%, from 32 to 25.
Police said some categories, including theft and sexual assault, increased year-to-date but did not provide figures for those increases in the release.
