Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday that there were seven shootings over the weekend connected to “Knicks-related celebrations” as New Yorkers gathered to celebrate the championship NBA team.
Speaking at an unrelated press conference in the Bronx, Tisch said the overwhelming majority of fans celebrated peacefully, but a small number of people used the moment as an excuse to engage in violence and create disorder.
“Over the weekend, there were seven shootings connected to Knicks-related celebrations across the city along with assaults, vandalism, fires and stabbings,” Tisch said. She did not elaborate on the shootings or other crimes she said took place at the celebrations.
Christopher Herrmann, a John Jay College professor who specializes in crime analysis, said seven shootings happening at these celebrations is notable, but not surprising considering the number of people celebrating outdoors across the city.
“There were lots of watch parties with large groups of people, later in the evening, outdoors, weather was very nice,” he said, adding that alcohol and other intoxicants were also in the mix. “This is the typical recipe for increased gun violence in the summer months.”
According to the most recent crime statistics released by the NYPD, shooting incidents and shooting victims are both down by more than 3% from the beginning of this year compared to the same period last year.
Tens of thousands of fans gathered across the city to watch the Knicks as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals in five games.
After the Knicks won their final game Saturday, huge crowds gathered in Manhattan to celebrate the championship, and some members of those crowds fought with others and destroyed property.
An NYPD spokesperson said 63 people were taken into custody at the crowds in midtown and 15 of them were criminally charged.
At about 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, a 17-year-old was shot in his left foot near Times Square as crowds of people celebrated the Knicks’ victory, an NYPD spokesperson said.
A police officer near the scene spotted another 17-year-old clutching a gun in his waistband as he ran from the scene and arrested him, according to the NYPD.
That teen, a Brooklyn resident, was arrested and charged with weapons possession charges. His attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.
