Cleveland homicides plunge in first half of 2025
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Homicides in Cleveland fell by nearly 30% in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, new national crime data shows.
Why it matters: Cleveland's drop is consistent with many of the nation's large and midsize cities, reinforcing a broader decline in violent crime since the pandemic surge.
By the numbers: Cleveland saw 46 homicides between Jan. 1 and June 30, according to stats compiled by the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA).
- That's down from 64 in the same period in 2024.
- Nationwide, homicides fell by 19%, with decreases of at least 50% in Denver, Honolulu, Orlando and Tampa.
- In Cleveland, incidents of rape, robbery and aggravated assault also declined.
Catch up quick: There was a notable increase in the rate of gun violence across the U.S. during the pandemic.
- The recent downward trend counters President Trump's false claims that immigration had sparked rising crime nationwide — a reason he gave for his mass deportation plan.
The latest: "The truth is that it's all happening in spite of Donald Trump, not because of him," Mayor Justin Bibb wrote in an MSNBC op-ed this month.
- Democratic mayors "have stepped up to demonstrate what real leadership looks like ... We are managing what we can control and doubling down on programs and strategies that work."
Zoom in: Bibb has touted the RISE initiative, targeted enforcement in the city's "hot spots," and summer safety campaigns built around community engagement.
What's next: The quarterly reports from MCCA typically have been a good measure of trends that are reflected in the annual FBI crime data released a year later.
What we're watching: Trump has said he will tie federal grants to local police departments based on a requirement that they participate in his plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
- Local agencies could opt out of Trump's plans under pressure from local residents — and face fewer resources to fight crime.