The shooting incidents and gun-related deaths in New York City have risen for two consecutive years, officials say.

There have been 439 shootings through Sunday this year, which increased by 9 percent over the same period in 2014 and by 20 percent over 2013, the New York Police Department said on Monday.

The number of the incidents also went up from 2013 to 2014. However, there has been no such a rise for two years straight since the 1990s.

“We’re struggling with homicides and shootings,” said NYPD Chief of Department James O’Neill.

“When we’re talking about murder and shootings, we’re talking about people’s lives,” O’Neill noted. “These aren’t just numbers. And that’s what our business is about — saving lives.”

He went on to say that violence is largely committed and driven by gang rivalries with the majority of criminals being either a gang member or people out on parole.

Almost all of the 135 homicides so far this year were committed using a gun and in this week alone, 45 people involved in gun-related crimes were arrested by police.

O’Neill said a number of 330 officers are being used for special patrols, a tactic used last summer to combat the increasing shooting incidents and other violence.

This year, such patrols will begin next week a month earlier compared to that in 2014, he added.

Now, officers find guns on suspects nearly on a daily basis, while they make arrests for otherwise minor “broken windows” crimes.

Mayor Bill de Blasio brought to a halt the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy in January 2014. However, officers are still enforcing the law against low-level crimes.

“The officers are engaged and they’re still focusing on quality-of-life offenses,” said Carlos Gomez, Chief of Patrol.

Gun violence has become rife in the United States, with over 11,000 people murdered with a firearm each year in the country.

AT/AGB