Homicide Rate In LA On Track To Hit 60-Year Low

LOS ANGELES, CA — The city has seen a 20% drop in homicides in the first half of the year, putting Los Angeles on pace for its lowest murder total in nearly 60 years, Mayor Karen Bass said Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Police Department reported 116 homicides through June 28, down from 152 during the same period in 2024. "Reports show that Los Angeles is on pace for the lowest homicide total in 60 years," Bass said in a statement.

Similarly, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported fewer murders. As of May, deputies recorded 63 homicides in cities and unincorporated areas the LASD patrols, crime statistics show.

Last year, LASD reported 184 homicides, down by nearly 100 from 2021.

The decline in killings in Los Angeles County aligns with trends in major cities nationwide, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"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."

Overall crime in the city declined last year: Homicides dropped 14% and shooting victims decreased by 19%, according to citywide crime statistics released in May.

Nationwide, the murder rate rose 30% between 2019 and 2020, the largest single-year increase in a century, according to Pew Research, which cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FBI data. Experts attributed the rise to factors related to the coronavirus pandemic.

City News Service contributed to this report.