In Queens North, a quiet part of New York City that used to be called one of the safest spots in the borough, there is now a dramatic spike in violent crime. Recent NYPD data shows a 62 % jump in murders and a 60 % rise in shootings this year.
Only 21 people have been killed in the area so far, up from 13 during the same period last year. 31 people have been shot, compared with 20 last year. Queens North covers eight precincts in Forest Hills, Flushing, Astoria, and Elmhurst, and it is the only command across the five boroughs that has seen its killings rise.
Murders that have shocked the community
The most graphic case happened in Jackson Heights. On September 13, during a sidewalk confrontation, an illegal‑migrant named Edwin Cruz‑Gomez, 38, struck teenager Jhoanny Alvarez after the young man made unwanted advances toward the teen and her mother. After a fight that involved five people, Cruz‑Gomez drove his 2009 Chevy Suburban across the sidewalk and intentionally ran Alvarez, his mother and another relative over. He was charged with murder.
A second tragedy unfolded on September 12 in Flushing. Dashanna Donovan, 21, was shot multiple times while running for cover in a building on 96th Street near Astoria Boulevard. Police say a former boyfriend from South Carolina—who had just finished an abusive relationship—was the suspect. Donovan’s mother, Helena Hypolite, told reporters that the man came to the house, surprised her daughter, and shot her five times in the bathroom. He is still at large.
On September 28, 19‑year‑old Jean Rios was found in the street in Forest Hills with a gunshot wound to his chest. Police have yet to arrest anyone or identify a motive.
Why is violence rising?
Retired NYPD detective Michael Alcazar, who now teaches at John Jay College, points to crime “displacement.” “Queens North used to be very safe,” he said. “Now officers from more dangerous precincts are being pulled out to other boroughs, and the violent crime is moving into the area that isn’t used to handling so many shootings or homicides.”
In response, NYPD units that specialize in gang, narcotics and vice investigations are being reassigned to foot patrols in Queens North to keep the streets safe. “Their role has shifted from targeted prevention to reactive response,” Alcazar added.
The NYPD’s message
Patrol Borough Queens North spokesman Brad Weekes said the area still has the third‑lowest number of murders and shootings in the city. “We continue to deploy officers where they are needed most to keep the area safe and protect residents,” he said.
City Councilman Robert Holden, a Democrat from Maspeth, blamed the spike on a shortage of police officers. “A lack of police presence lets people take matters into their own hands,” he said. “I haven’t seen it this bad in years.”
Queens North’s residents are grieving and demanding action. Victims’ families and community members have called for more patrols and better protection for the neighborhoods of Forest Hills, Flushing, Astoria and Elmhurst. The NYPD and city leaders say they will keep working to bring the city’s record‑low gun violence back to that level.
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