Police Beat | Murders down in majority of Bronx precincts; infant homicide in 52nd sends shock waves through city

The following is an analysis of crime statistics in Bronx NYPD precincts comparing data from the Jan. 1, 2022 – Sept. 27, 2022 period with data from the Jan. 1, 2023 – Sept. 27, 2023 period. The statistics are provided through the NYPD’s CompStat data center, which tracks crimes across all five boroughs.

Murders are down across seven of the 12 Bronx NYPD Precincts year-to-date. The dips have occurred in the 40th (-20%), 44th (-27.8%), 45th (-25%), 46th (-9.1%), 47th (-9.1%), 49th (-28.6%) and 52nd (-33.3%) precincts.

But that still leaves five precincts where the murder rate remained flat or increased compared year-to-date in 2022. The largest increase was in the 50th Precinct, where murders doubled from two to four this year; the second highest jump was in the 42nd, which jumped from five in 2022 to nine this year.

Other precincts where the murder rate rose were the 41st (+50% from four to six) and the 43rd (+66.7% from six to 10). There was no change in the 48th Precinct from last year to this year, which both saw 12 murders.

Not only Bronxites, but New York City residents from all boroughs are still reeling from some high-profile arrests that took place in the Kingsbridge section of the 52nd Precinct.

Police responded to a call at Divino Nino Daycare at 2707 Morris Ave. on Sept. 15, where they found three babies — a 1-year old, a 2-year old and an 8-month old — unresponsive from what officials later concluded was fentanyl exposure. Emergency responders took the three to Montefiore Medical Center, where Nicholas Dominici, 1, was pronounced dead.

The other two babies were listed in critical condition — as well as a fourth tot, who was also transported to BronxCare Health System from the day care via private means. In a press conference after the incident, cops said all four babies were given the naloxone Narcan, a medicine that helps reverse opioid overdoses.

After executing a warrant at Divino Nino last week, cops said they found bags of narcotics hidden beneath a floorboard at the center where the children allegedly slept. As of Wednesday, police had made three arrests in the case, including the day care’s owner Grei Mendez.