Shelter gangs and a serial killer: Covid crime surge leaves New York’s unhoused more vulnerable

Spate of killings in recent weeks has underscored the dangers faced by those who live on the streets

The Covid-19 pandemic has been brutally tough on America's homeless.

Already difficult patterns of living, often just survival, were abruptly disrupted as the city emptied and shut down during spikes. Shelters and food pantries no longer functioned in a predictable fashion. Stores and 24-hour subways closed and the homeless were often and conveniently blamed for a wave of robbery and violence.