New Orleans homicides down 26% as violent crime falls nationwide
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Homicide rates in New Orleans continue to fall year over year, extending a nationwide decline that began after the pandemic-era crime spike.
Why it matters: Crime remains one of the country's most politically potent issues, even as many major cities report sustained declines in violence.
The big picture: Data from 67 major U.S. law enforcement agencies shows violent crime fell across major categories during the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025.
- The declines appear across every major region, suggesting a nationwide trend.
- The quarterly reports collected by the Major Cities Chiefs Association have historically tracked closely with the annual FBI crime data released in the fall.
Zoom in: In New Orleans, homicides fell 25.9% year over year. Last year's figures don't include the 14 victims from the Bourbon Street terror attack, officials say.
- For the three-year period, homicides are down 67%, NOPD says.
- Nationally, homicides dropped 17.7%, according to the MCCA data.
Worth noting: Some of the nation's bigger cities posted dramatic homicide declines in the first three months of 2026 — Washington (64.7%), Philadelphia (54%) and Memphis (34.4%).
Between the lines: The new numbers complicate the political narrative around crime heading into the 2026 midterms. President Trump has repeatedly described major Democratic-led cities as gripped by violent crime.
- Data shows many urban areas have become significantly safer over the last two years, with drops beginning in the second half of the Biden presidency and continuing under Trump.
- Trump cited violent crime as his reason for sending federal troops to Democrat-led cities, including New Orleans.
- Earlier this year, he extended the federal deployment through the summer. He credited their efforts for improved crime rates, while Mayor Helena Moreno credited NOPD's multi-year effort.
Yes, but: The recovery remains uneven.
- Minneapolis, Atlanta and Virginia Beach, Virginia, were among the cities that posted overall increases in violent crime totals during the quarter.
- Police leaders also caution that crime trends can shift quickly heading into the summer months, when violence historically rises.
Behind the scenes: NOPD switched to a new crime reporting system this year, making MCCA's year-over-year comparisons not accurate for aggravated assaults, an NOPD spokesperson told Axios on Monday.
- More offenses now qualify as aggravated assaults under the new system, so the 2026 numbers are significantly higher.
- The department is working to update the data so historical comparisons can be made, officials tell Axios.
State of play: The data arrives during a transitional period for NOPD. This is the first year in more than a decade that the department hasn't been under federal oversight.
- The City Council turned many of the key elements in the consent decree into city law, but the rest is up to officials and the community.
- NOPD, under pressure from Attorney General Liz Murrill, already updated its immigration policy.
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