ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Mayor Malik Evans is pledging more action to address gun violence in the city. The city averaged 430 shootings in late 2021 to early 2022, but the number at the end of last week was 210.

The mayor has some theories about what’s helped. He says the city’s gun violence emergency order, enacted in 2021, is a big reason why the city’s number of shootings is back to what it was before the pandemic.

The order gives the mayor the ability to do things like shut down nuisance businesses and station extra police on a problem street. The city closed nine businesses this year associated with violence.

On Thursday, the city announced that, starting this weekend, no one under the age of 21 will be able to come to Rochester’s East End entertainment district. The mayor said public perception is that some places are unsafe, like the East End, which is home to several bars and restaurants.

Overall, murders and property crime are also down. The city credits some of this to prevention, trying to reach young people through programs and clubs in rec centers and events like last weekend’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football game. The city has also amped up youth access to mental health services.

“We think that this strategy will allow us to continue to improve. So we still have a long way to go. So if a person, someone is a victim of crime, they’re going to see these numbers. They’re going to say, well, yeah, but it still affects me. We have to remember that. And that’s why you can’t declare victory. You can’t declare victory,” Evans said.

Police Chief David Smith says RPD has taken nearly 600 illegal guns off the streets this year.

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