“When it comes to guns, this year, 2,386 people were arrested with a gun. Of those, about 1,921 are on the street,” Adams said during a press conference on bail reform and recidivism. “Arrested at gunpoint, out in the street.” Adams added: “Arrests with guns in custody: 19.5%. Off reservation: over 80%’. “How do you take a gun law seriously when the overwhelming number are back on the streets carrying a gun?” asked. Adams also highlighted the number of gun suspects who have been re-arrested — and re-released. “This year, 165 people were arrested on a second gun charge,” he said. “Of those, 82 — out on the street. Not one arrest, but two gun arrests — back on the street,” he fumed. Mayor Eric Adams questioned how anyone could take a gun law seriously if they were released from custody so quickly. New York’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor About 80% of gun arrests are released onto the streets. Robert Miller Adams did not say how many defendants were released without bail or how many posted bail to be released. All gun possession charges are eligible for bail under New York law, which requires judges to impose the least restrictive conditions necessary to ensure defendants return to court. In 2019, a year before the state’s controversial bail reform law went into effect, “we arrested 80 people for a gun crime who were arrested openly with a gun,” Adams said. Adams has continually challenged state lawmakers on bail reform. Robert Miller In 2021, he said, “the number was 259” — more than three times as many. Adams also said that in 2019, 20 people arrested in shootings already had pending gun charges, but that last year, the number nearly quadrupled to 77. Also during Wednesday’s news conference at One Police Plaza, NYPD Director of Crime Control Strategies Michael Lipetri said, “We like to talk about trusted messengers when we work with our social service providers … to get the message out to crew member to stop the violence. “ But Lipetri said that “the reliable messenger today in New York is the crew member who was arrested with a gun yesterday, who comes out today, says to that crew, ‘Well, look at me, I can carry a gun in New York.”
Lipetri said the NYPD is investigating 716 suspects in 30 percent of the roughly 2,400 shootings that have taken place since 2021. “Of those individuals, 54 percent — nearly 385 — currently have an open felony,” he said.