The city of Los Angeles is on pace for its lowest homicides total in 60 years based on the first half of the year’s data, Mayor Karen Bass said Wednesday.
This year, the Los Angeles Police Department reported 116 homicides through June 28, down from 152 during the same period in 2024.
“Especially with the summer underway, we will continue to implement comprehensive safety strategies with law enforcement and community organizations to keep Angelenos safe,” Bass said. “That means swiftly responding when crime happens and holding people accountable, while also working to prevent crime from happening in the first place.”
Crime in the city had also declined in 2024, noting that homicides dropped 14% and shooting victims decreased by 19%, according to Bass and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnel.
The mayor’s office attributed the decline to Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) zones and other violence intervention programs. Bass announced in March a 45% drop in gang-related homicides in GRYD zones compared to 2023 and a 56% decline compared to 2022.
Violent crimes such as robbery, aggravated assault and rape declined slightly or remained flat compared to 2023.
LA City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson emphasized the importance of sustained commitment to public safety.
“This is proof that when we make deep, intentional investments in community safety, we can create safer neighborhoods,” Harris-Dawson said. “We must ensure the continued funding of community violence intervention across Los Angeles because we have the power to prevent harm before it occurs, rather than waiting to punish it once it’s already happened.”
Los Angeles County is also seeing a decrease in homicide, according to the Los Angeles As of May, the department recorded 63 homicides in their patrol areas, a significant drop compared to the 184 homicides in 2024, and a reduction of nearly 100 from 2021, according to department crime statistics.
Homicides have steadily declined since 2021 when the city recorded more than 400 killings, making it one of the deadliest years in decades.
Nationwide, the murder rate rose 30% between 2019 and 2020, the largest single-year increase in a century. This data cited by Pew Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FBI, was attributed by experts to factors related to the coronavirus pandemic.