The Racial and Ethnic Composition of Homicides in NYC

In the bustling streets of New York City, a complex debate unfolds. Progressive politicians and criminal justice nonprofits advocate for focusing on the race of offenders within the criminal justice system. But what about the victims? Their pain, their loss—often overshadowed by the broader narrative. Strangely, even when victims belong to the same racial group that reformers claim to support, their plight remains unacknowledged. Consequently, the needs of crime victims, which they claim to protect, are overlooked as they advance their agenda.

Delving into the NYPD’s 2023 homicide statistics reveals striking patterns. When the assailant’s race or ethnicity is identified, homicides involving Black victims and Black perpetrators constitute a staggering 71.3% of all non-domestic homicides. Hispanic victims and offenders account for 66.2% of these incidents. Collectively, Black and Hispanic perpetrators are implicated in 97.0% of non-domestic homicides involving victims of their own race. In contrast, non-domestic homicides with Asian/Pacific Islander and White victims and offenders of the same race hover around 42.9% and 39.1%, respectively, highlighting a prevalent trend of intra-racial violence, particularly within Black and Hispanic communities.

As the debate rages on, let us not forget the silent victims—the lives lost, the families shattered. Their stories deserve a place in the discourse, lest we inadvertently perpetuate an injustice of our own making.

Homicides with Black Victims:

Black-on-Black Homicides: The majority of homicides with Black victims were committed by individuals of the same race, representing 56.6% of the total cases and 78.0% when the assailant’s race was known. Excluding domestic incidents, these figures become 48.6% of all homicides and 71.3% with an identified assailant’s race.
Black Victims with Black and Hispanic Assailants: When combining Black and Hispanic assailants, they accounted for 70.3% of homicides with Black victims, increasing to 96.9% when the assailant’s race was known. Without domestic cases, this statistic is 65.4% of such homicides and 95.9% with a known assailant’s race.
Black Victims with Assailants of Diverse Races: Homicides involving Black victims and assailants from other races were comparatively rare, comprising only 16.0% of the total. This percentage slightly rises to 22% when considering only cases with a known assailant’s race.

Homicides with Hispanic Victims:

Hispanic-on-Hispanic Homicides: In cases of homicide involving Hispanic victims, 52.0% were Hispanic-on-Hispanic, and this figure rises to 68.8% when the assailant’s ethnicity is known. When domestic incidents are excluded, these percentages adjust to 50.0% of all homicides and 66.2% of non-domestic cases with a known assailant’s ethnicity.
Hispanic Victims with Hispanic and Black Assailants: Hispanic victims faced assailants who were either Hispanic or Black in 74.8% of the cases, escalating to 98.9% when the assailant’s ethnicity was known. Without domestic cases, these assailants accounted for 74.5% of homicides against Hispanic victims and 98.7% when the assailant’s ethnicity is known.
Hispanic Victims with Assailants of Different Races: A smaller proportion, 23.6%, of homicides targeting Hispanic victims involved assailants of different races, increasing to 31.2% in cases where the assailant’s race was known.

Combined Black and Hispanic Victims:

Intra-Racial Homicides: In cases where the assailant’s ethnicity was known, Black and Hispanic perpetrators were responsible for 97.6% of homicides involving victims of their own race. When domestic incidents are excluded, the percentage remains high at 97.0%. This data underscores a significant trend of intra-racial violence, particularly in homicides where Black and Hispanic individuals are both the victims and the assailants.
Combined Black/Hispanic Victims with Diverse Assailants: In the combined category of Black and Hispanic victims, only a small fraction, 28%, involved assailants of a different race. This number decreases further to just 2.4% in incidents where the assailant’s ethnicity is known, highlighting the rarity of inter-racial violence in these cases.

Homicides with Asian/Pacific Islander Victims:

Asian/Pacific Islander-on-Asian/Pacific Islander Homicides: The majority of homicides involving Asian/Pacific Islander victims were perpetrated by individuals of the same ethnic group, accounting for 47.4% of all such cases. When the assailant’s ethnicity is known, this figure stands at 50.0%. Excluding domestic incidents, these numbers shift to 40.0% of all incidents and 42.9% involving known assailant ethnicity.
Asian/Pacific Islander Victims with Assailants of Different Races: In cases involving Asian/Pacific Islander victims, 36.8% of the homicides were committed by Black assailants. This percentage increases to 38.9% when considering only cases with a known assailant’s race. For non-domestic homicide incidents, the involvement of Black assailants rises to 46.7%, and 50.0% when the assailant’s race is known.

Homicides with White Victims:

White-on-White Homicides: In incidents of homicide with White victims, 33.3% were committed by White assailants. This figure increases to 37.0% when cases with known assailant’s race are considered. Excluding domestic incidents, these percentages become 36.0% of all cases and 39.1% with identified assailants.
White Victims with Assailants of Other Races: In cases involving White victims, 56.7% of the homicides were committed by assailants of a different race, which rises to 63% when the assailant’s race is known.

Conclusion

As we grapple with criminal justice reform, we must not forget the faces behind these numbers—the grieving families, the shattered communities, and the lives forever altered. While advocating for systemic change, we must also ensure that the pursuit of justice does not inadvertently silence the cries of those who have suffered. The victims deserve a seat at the table, their voices amplified, their pain acknowledged. Only then can we truly achieve a balance—one that upholds justice for both offenders and victims, recognizing that their fates are intertwined in the intricate fabric of our city’s safety and well-being.

Written by:

Sam Antar