Drugs and guns are killing New York - two thirds of murder victims are black (News)

It's late Saturday night, sometime after 3 a.m.

A black man with a history of drug crimes, somewhere between 25 and 40 years old, is hanging on the streets with a gun-toting pal.

That man is the New Yorker most likely to be murdered in 2010.

A Daily News review of the latest NYPD crime statistics shows drugs are a factor in at least half of city homicides - and two out of three victims are black.

Stats through Tuesday reveal 49% of all murder victims are involved with drug use and/or drug sales. The figure is 53% for murder suspects.

The numbers say 67% of murder victims are black, with 25% Hispanic and just 4% white.

In 12% of city slayings, drugs are the exclusive motive. Police say that figure is much higher when other factors such as previous disputes and criminal histories of victims and suspects are included.

The days, times and places where death is most imminent for New Yorkers:

• The deadliest day of the week: Saturday (89 murders).
• The safest: Tuesday (58 murders).
• The deadliest time of day: 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. (41 murders).
• The deadliest weapon: Guns, used in 62% of all killings.
• The deadliest precinct: Brooklyn's 75th, with 30 murders. 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/12/02/2010-12-02_drugs_and_guns_are_killing_new_york__two_thirds_of_murder_victims_are_black_drug.html#ixzz16yO5sp7O