Former reality star Leah McSweeney is planning to flee New York City over rampant crime, saying the city she thought she would always call home is no longer safe to live in.
McSweeney, a fashion designer and former star of Bravo's "Real Housewives of New York," joined "Fox & Friends" Wednesday to discuss her decision to reluctantly break up with the Big Apple.
"This breaks my heart because New York City is the best city in the world," McSweeney told co-host Ainsley Earhardt. "But it is not safe right now, and it is especially not safe for women."
McSweeney said her daughter was involved in an incident recently when a man approached her and her friends on the subway and threatened to kill them.
"A man came in and sat across from them and said, 'Shut the blank up, or I'm going to kill you and turn you into a pile of meat on the floor,'" she said. "She was scared to tell me because she knows I'm going to be nervous… she doesn't want to make me nervous, but she was scared."
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY -- Season:13 -- Pictured: (l-r) Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney, Ramona Singer, Eboni K. Williams, Luann de Lesseps -- (Photo by: Sophy Holland/Bravo) (Sophy Holland/Bravo)
The former reality star also said she saw someone earlier this week "smoking crack for breakfast" in broad daylight in Times Square, in a video she posted on X.
McSweeney blamed the city's politicians, arguing they continue to falsely claim that the Big Apple is "safer than ever."
"The worst thing is we're being gaslit by the politicians who tell us that it's actually safer than ever, and it's not. I'm sorry, there's no way," McSweeney said. "I'm out there. I'm on the train. I'm walking around. It's not safe."
While crime has trended downward since the pandemic, some offenses are still much higher, including homicides, which were up 21% at the end of last year compared to 2019, according to NYPD data. Robberies and felony assaults have risen 26% and 35%, respectively, and motor vehicle thefts nearly tripled.
McSweeney said that, because of her crime concerns, she plans to relocate to Miami as her daughter looks at colleges in Florida.
"I never thought I would say that. I was like, ‘No, New York 'til I die,’ but I am just sick of the quality of life here," McSweeney said. "I'm hoping that things turn around, because like I said, this is the best city in the world, but the people who are in charge do not care. Mayor Adams is at Zero Bond, he's at Casa Cipriani. Help us."
