NEW YORK — Tying an ongoing spike in New York City crime to trends across the country, Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday called for “a national and local approach” to violence.
The comments came as the city was still reeling from last Tuesday’s subway rampage in which 10 people were shot.
Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell credited a NYPD manhunt and alert to New Yorkers for the Wednesday arrest of suspect Frank James, who called a tip line on himself.
“We were kind of closing in around him,” she told ABC’s “This Week” during an interview alongside Adams. “One of the key factors, also, is our force multiplier, which are the eyes and ears of our incredible New Yorkers.”
Five people are splitting the $50,000 reward for providing info that led to James’ arrest, officials said Friday.
Adams repeated calls for more federal support, noting violence is spiking nationwide.
“This is a national issue. This is not a red state-blue state (issue),” he said, going on to cite high murder rates from Mississippi to Oklahoma.
He called for double the current number of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials in New York City, which he placed at 80. Adams also said authorities should crack down on so-called ghost guns — weapons people can assemble on their own, with no serial numbers — and implementation of a “real gun tracing program.”
Adams, a former NYPD captain, won office last year on a tough-on-crime platform. Still, crime has continued to spike during his first 3 1/2 months on the job — transit crime is up 68% compared with the same time last year, while seven major categories of crime are up 44%, according to NYPD stats.
The mayor has brought back the NYPD’s controversial street crime units, and worked with Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase police presence on subways, among other steps.
Noting that James apparently posted numerous hate-filled videos online, Adams called on social media companies to show “corporate responsibility.”
“When we are watching hate brew online, we can identify, using artificial intelligence and other methods … those who are talking about violence,” he said.
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