Overview
- City officials confirmed 13 people were found dead outdoors since last weekend’s snowstorm, with the medical examiner still determining exact causes.
- At least seven cases are suspected hypothermia, and at least six of the deceased had prior interactions with the city’s shelter system.
- City Hall said none of those who died were found in outdoor encampments, countering criticism tied to the halt of routine encampment sweeps.
- Officials report more than 800 shelter placements since Jan. 19, the opening of a low‑barrier shelter, deployment of on‑call ambulettes, and expanded warming centers.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani says involuntary removal remains a last resort; the city reports 15 such cases as critics, including Eric Adams and several council members, press for more forceful actions.