Baltimore homicide and non-fatal shooting reductions
Baltimore experienced the largest drop in homicide rates among 35 cities from 2019 to 2025, with a 60% decrease, according to a Council on Criminal Justice report released on January 21, 2026. As of January 25, 2026, Baltimore city prosecutors, including State's Attorney Ivan Bates, attribute this significant reduction to a strong focus on repeat violent offenders and aggressive sentencing strategies. The city recorded its lowest homicide rate in nearly 50 years in 2025, with homicides falling from 194 in 2024 to 133 in 2025, a reduction of over 30%, and non-fatal shootings decreasing from 413 to 311 in the same period. Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced in December 2025 that the 127 homicides recorded by November 2025 represented the fewest since at least 1970. The Baltimore Police Department's 2024 Year-End Crime Report also noted double-digit reductions in gun violence, with homicides decreasing by 23% and non-fatal shootings dropping by 34% compared to 2023.
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2026
4 updatesBaltimore city prosecutors attribute the significant reduction in homicides to a strong focus on repeat violent offenders and aggressive sentencing strategies, with State's Attorney Ivan Bates playing a key role.
via whmi.com
A report by the Council on Criminal Justice indicates Baltimore experienced the largest drop in homicide rates among 35 cities from 2019 to 2025, with a 60% decrease. This contributed to a national trend where the average reported homicide rate in 2025 was 21% lower than in 2024.
via counciloncj.org
Baltimore recorded its first two homicides of 2026, following a year of historic crime reduction in 2025.
via youtube.com
Baltimore recorded its lowest homicide rate in nearly 50 years in 2025, with homicides falling from 194 in 2024 to 133 in 2025, a reduction of over 30%. Non-fatal shootings also decreased from 413 in 2024 to 311 in 2025. The Baltimore Police Department's year-end report also noted significant decreases in carjackings and commercial robberies.
2025
5 updates
2025
5 updatesMayor Brandon M. Scott announced that homicides and non-fatal shootings continued to decline through November 2025. Compared to the previous year, homicides were down 29.8% and non-fatal shootings were down 25.2%. The 127 homicides recorded by this date represented the fewest since at least 1970.
via wbal.com·mayor.baltimorecity.gov·wbal.com·baltimorecountymd.gov·baltimorepolice.org
As of November 3, 2025, Baltimore reported a 31.7% decrease in homicides and a 22% decline in non-fatal shootings compared to the same period in the previous year. The city recorded 112 homicides and 270 non-fatal shootings year-to-date, with Mayor Brandon Scott highlighting the effectiveness of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy.
Baltimore City's mid-year crime report for 2025 showed continued double-digit reductions in gun violence, including a 22% decrease in homicides (68 in 2025 vs. 88 in 2024) and a 19% decrease in non-fatal shootings (164 in 2025 vs. 204 in 2024).
via wbal.com·mayor.baltimorecity.gov·wbal.com·baltimorecountymd.gov·baltimorepolice.org
Baltimore City recorded a new record low of five homicides in April 2025, the lowest since 1970, bringing the total for 2025 to 39 by April, which is also the lowest for the start of any recorded year.
via wypr.org
The Baltimore Police Department released its 2024 Year-End Crime Report, highlighting double-digit reductions in gun violence, with homicides decreasing by 23% and non-fatal shootings dropping by 34% compared to 2023.
via wbal.com·mayor.baltimorecity.gov·wbal.com·baltimorecountymd.gov·baltimorepolice.org
2024
1 update
2024
1 updateBaltimore County announced significant declines in homicides and non-fatal shootings for the first half of 2024, with homicides down over 31% and non-fatal shootings down over 30% year-over-year.
via wbal.com·mayor.baltimorecity.gov·wbal.com·baltimorecountymd.gov·baltimorepolice.org
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