#NYC violence can only be stopped by a mayor willing to take the right steps

Druggies, crazies, thugs and other assorted law-breakers seem to be testing New Yorkers: Over the past few days — as Tuesday’s primary election has neared — shootings, stabbings and general mayhem have been as brazen as ever; the election may show just how much chaos New Yorkers are willing to take.

We’ve argued that, among the candidates, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is the most likely to successfully roll back the crime wave and restore order, and a NY1/Ipsos survey out Monday shows he’s also the most trusted by Democratic voters on that issue, which 55 percent view as the city’s “main problem.”

Yet whoever wins, Gotham’s next mayor will have his or her hands full trying to tame the madness. Overnight just on Sunday, 11 people were shot, two fatally. Earlier in the weekend, someone fired a bullet through a synagogue.

Late-night/early-morning partiers again had their run of Washington Square Park, complete with noise, booze and drugs — despite increasingly desperate pleas from local residents. “Nothing is going to stop us from showing up,” one partier sniffed. And yet again, the defiance led to injury, as a woman was run over by a stampeding crowd after a madman waved a Taser and a knife. That man was let go without bail.

All that followed Thursday’s terrifying, caught-on-video attack by a gunman firing at his victim on a Bronx street in broad daylight — with two little kids cowering for their lives just inches away. “Please stop this wave of delinquency on our streets,” begged their dad.

Make no mistake: Much of the lawlessness and bloodshed now plaguing the city can be stopped — but only if the next mayor is willing to take the necessary steps. It’ll be up to voters to choose such a mayor.