NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The number of weapons confiscated in New York City schools has dramatically increased compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to NYPD data.
A whopping 3,315 weapons were recovered in the city’s public schools from July 1 to February 20 of this academic year. During the same time period of the last pre-pandemic year of 2019-2020, that number was 1,845—an 80% increase–the NYPD said.
In the 2019-2020 school year, only 1 gun was recovered while this year, 14 firearms have been confiscated from students, the numbers show.
The presence of other weapons, like tasers, have also climbed, with a 591% increase, the data shows. City schools recovered 325 tasers between July and late February, up from 47 during the same period in 2020.
Students have also brought in 1,420 knives to date thus far, which is a 25% percent increase since 2020, the data shows.
Weapons the NYPD classified as “other,” which include pepper spray and brass knuckles, have seen a 326% surge—from 279 to 1,190—the numbers reveal.
The head of the city schools safety agents union, Greg Floyd, told The New York Post kids carry weapons for different reasons.
“Kids are scared,” Floyd said to the Post. “Period. The laws are written so that the gang members can freely carry weapons with no reprisal. So that means the children who would not carry weapons now must carry weapons to protect themselves. We are failing those kids.”
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