Two men murdered in Southwest Brooklyn, yet citywide rate at all-time low

The mayor’s office is crowing that the city is experiencing an all-time-low murder and shooting rate, yet two men were killed over the weekend in Sunset Park and Bensonhurst.

On Saturday, August 24 at about 4:50 a.m., police officers from the 62nd Precinct responded to a call to the rear of 1655 76th Street. When they arrived, a Hispanic male was discovered unconscious and unresponsive. EMS arrived and pronounced him dead.

Police arrested 26-year-old Manuel Carac, who lives just blocks away from the scene, in connection with the murder. He has been charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

The cause of death of the still unidentified victim is unknown and police are still investigating the crime.

However, statistics show that the city’s murder rate continues to decline.

In 2012, New York City saw the lowest number of recorded murders and shootings in the city’s history, with 419 murders and 1,374 shootings.

Through Sunday, August 25, 2013, the city has seen 77 fewer murders than at this point last year. There were 213 murders at this time in 2013, compared to 290 murders in 2012, a 26.6 percent decrease. Murders committed with guns make up 58 percent of 2013’s killings. Through Sunday, August 25 the number of murders committed with a firearm is down by 52 percent from last year.

Shooting incidents have also decreased. As of Sunday, August 25, there were 249 fewer shootings compared to the same point last year. There were 708 shootings so far this year, compared to 957 in 2012, a 26 percent decrease.

But just this weekend, a Sunset Park man was fatally shot in the face (see story on page 10). That investigation is still ongoing.

The mayor’s office will be releasing murder and shooting stats on a weekly basis. For updates, visit www.nyc.gov.

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