Top crimes of 2025

As we reflect on 2025, here are some of the top crimes of the year:

1. Assassination of Charlie Kirk

The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, stands as one of the most high-profile and politically charged crimes of 2025.

On September 10, Kirk was participating in an outdoor American Comeback Tour event at Utah Valley University. While seated under a white tent for a "Prove Me Wrong" debate segment, he was struck in the neck by a single bullet.

The shooter had positioned himself on the roof of the Losee Center, roughly 140 yards from the stage. Kirk was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. The immediate aftermath was captured on social media and news livestreams, showing a chaotic scene as thousands of attendees scrambled for cover.

Following a 33-hour manhunt led by the FBI and local authorities, the suspect was identified as Tyler James Robinson, a 22-year-old resident of Washington County, Utah.

Robinson’s father reportedly recognized his son from FBI surveillance footage released to the public. With the guidance of a local pastor, Robinson was encouraged to surrender and was taken into custody on the night of September 11.

While the legal proceedings are ongoing, investigators and court filings have pointed toward a politically motivated attack driven by deep-seated ideological animosity.

2. Major Nationwide Manhunts

Several dramatic manhunts captivated communities and stretched law enforcement resources across states. Here are two of the most covered by the media:

Travis Decker — Washington State

What began as a missing children investigation quickly escalated into one of the most emotionally devastating manhunts of the year. When three young sisters were found murdered in central Washington, suspicion immediately focused on their father, Travis Decker. Authorities warned the public that Decker was experienced in outdoor survival and could remain hidden for long periods. Search teams combed forests, river corridors, and rural communities for weeks as tips poured in nationwide. The case haunted the region until human remains believed to be Decker’s were eventually located, bringing a grim end to a search defined by heartbreak rather than relief.

Vance Boelter — Minnesota

This manhunt shocked the nation because of who was targeted. After the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, authorities launched an intense regional search, locking down neighborhoods and mobilizing state and federal resources. The attack raised immediate concerns about political violence, prompting heightened security around public officials nationwide. Vance Boelter’s capture after days on the run ended the search, but the case left lasting questions about political extremism, personal grievance, and how quickly targeted violence can erupt.

3. Karen Read Murder Trial

Karen Read was charged in the January 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. Prosecutors alleged that after a night of drinking, Read hit O’Keefe with her SUV outside a house party in Canton, Massachusetts, then left him in the snow to die. She was indicted on second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. The trial was widely followed and became emblematic of how technology shapes modern criminal prosecutions. Her first trial ended in a hung jury. At the second trail she was found not guilty of murder or manslaughter.

Competing interpretations of evidence and alternate explanations of how O’Keefe died included how he might have been assaulted by his fellow police officers at the party. In the end, it was enough for the jury to have a reasonable doubt.

4. Mass Shooting Incidents

Mass shootings continued in 2025 and caused fear and concern across the country. Despite the horrific impact of these crimes, mass shootings were tracking at the lowest level in two decades. Here are two that generated widespread media coverage:

Annunciation Catholic Church Shooting

On the morning of August 27, as students, teachers, parishioners, and families gathered for an all‑school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in south Minneapolis, a gunman struck in one of the most harrowing attacks on a place of worship and learning in recent memory. The shooter approached the church from the outside and opened fire with multiple firearms — including a rifle, shotgun, and pistol — firing through windows at those inside during the service.

Two young children — ages 8 and 10 — were killed, and approximately 21 people were injured by gunfire, most of them children between the ages of 6 and 15, along with several adult parishioners in their 80s.

Police rushed to the scene within minutes and provided aid, evacuating children and adults while securing the area. The suspect, later identified as 23‑year‑old Robin Westman, died at the scene from an apparent self‑inflicted gunshot wound. The motive remains unclear but evidence recovered indicated he had a fascination with violence and broad hatred toward many different groups.

Stockton Birthday Party Shooting

On the evening of November 29, a family celebration in Stockton, California turned into a devastating scene of violence. What was meant to be a gathering for a 2‑year‑old’s birthday party at a local banquet hall quickly dissolved into chaos when gunfire erupted inside the crowded event space. Investigators later determined that shooters fired more than 50 rounds from multiple firearms — at least five guns — indicating a coordinated and brazen attack on the room full of adults and children.

The shooting left four people dead, including three children (ages 8, 9, and 14) and a 21‑year‑old, and at least 13 others wounded in the barrage. Investigators described the scene captured on body cameras as “horrendous,” with shell casings covering the floor and frantic first responders working to save lives amidst the carnage.

No arrests have been made, and speculation is the shooting was gang motivated.

5. New Orleans Truck Terrorist Attack

In the early hours of New Year’s Day, as revelers packed the iconic Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter celebrating the arrival of 2025 and the upcoming Sugar Bowl college football game, terror struck. A white Ford F‑150 pickup truck rented from Texas and flying an Islamic State (ISIS) flag sped onto the crowded pedestrian thoroughfare, deliberately driving into people along a stretch of the street where tourists and locals mingled among bars, clubs, and music venues.

The driver, 42‑year‑old Shamsud‑Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Houston, circumvented a police blockade and mounted the sidewalk, striking pedestrians over nearly three blocks. According to investigators, he was intent on maximizing casualties and continued driving into the crowd until the truck collided with construction equipment.

After crashing, Jabbar exited the vehicle and fired at responding police officers, engaging in a brief gunfight. New Orleans police officers returned fire and killed him at the scene. Two officers were also wounded by gunfire during the confrontation and were later treated for non‑fatal injuries.

The toll was dreadful: 14 civilians were killed, ranging in age from 18 to 63, and at least 57 others were injured, many severely, including two police officers struck in the firefight.

Law enforcement found weapons and potential explosive devices in the area. Two improvised explosive devices known as IEDs (pipe bombs packed with nails and other shrapnel) were discovered nearby in coolers that Jabbar had reportedly placed before the attack. A wireless remote control found in the truck suggested these were meant to be detonated. Agents also seized a rifle and a handgun in the truck.

Officials recovered videos the attacker posted hours before the attack in which he expressed support for ISIS and a desire to kill, indicating inspiration by extremist ideology.

6. Tragic Ambush of Police Officers in North Codorus Township, Pennsylvania

On September 17, what began as service of a warrant turned into one of the most devastating attacks on law enforcement in recent Pennsylvania history. Officers with the Northern York County Regional Police Department and a deputy from the York County Sheriff’s Office were executing an arrest warrant at a rural farmhouse in North Codorus Township, near Spring Grove, as part of a domestic violence investigation.

As detectives approached the home, 24‑year‑old Matthew James Ruth opened fire with a rifle equipped with a suppressor, immediately ambushing the officers. Three experienced detectives (Detective Sergeant Cody Becker, 39; Detective Mark Baker, 53; and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser, 43) were fatally shot in the initial barrage. Two other law enforcement officers were critically wounded in the exchange of gunfire.

Despite the chaos, officers on scene returned fire, and the suspect was ultimately shot and killed by responding law enforcement, ending the immediate threat.

This ambush was one of the deadliest attacks on police in 2025 and underscored the unpredictable dangers law enforcement officers face.

7. Murder of Rob and Michele Reiner

In a shocking case that reverberated across Hollywood and the nation, legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on December 14. Both suffered multiple sharp‑force injuries in what Los Angeles police quickly ruled a homicide.

Rob Reiner, 78, was celebrated for directing and acting in iconic films like This Is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally…, and The Princess Bride, while Michele, 70, was a respected photographer, producer, and advocate. The couple’s daughter discovered their bodies in the afternoon, ending a night that followed a family gathering and a holiday party with friends.

Later that same day, their 32‑year‑old son, Nick Reiner, was arrested and charged with two counts of first degree murder with special circumstances, including use of a deadly weapon (a knife). Nick Reiner had a long history of drug abuse and mental illness.

8. Hollywood Car Ramming

In the early hours of July 19, a crowd of people waiting to enter a Hollywood nightclub were suddenly struck by a vehicle that mounted the sidewalk and plowed into the gathering.

The driver, later identified as 29‑year‑old Fernando Ramirez, allegedly drove his Nissan Versa into the line of clubgoers, also smashing into a taco cart and a valet stand before coming to a halt. Witnesses and first responders described the scene as “chaotic,” with victims thrown into the street and debris scattered along the busy boulevard. More than 30 people were injured, with at least several suffering serious fractures, lacerations, and critical injuries as ambulances and fire crews rushed them to local hospitals.

Bystanders pulled the driver from the vehicle, and an unknown bystander shot the suspect. The exact motive for the attack was not publicly established, though police sources suggested the driver had been ejected from the nightclub earlier and may have returned in anger. Ramirez survived his wound and was later charged with 37 counts of attempted murder and 37 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count for each injured victim; if convicted, he faces multiple life sentences. The person who shot Ramirez has not been apprehended.

9. Devil’s Den State Park Double Homicide

What was meant to be a peaceful day of hiking in Devil’s Den State Park, a scenic 2,500‑acre natural area near West Fork, Arkansas, turned into a harrowing tragedy on July 26. Clinton David Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, who had recently moved with their family to northwest Arkansas, were fatally stabbed while hiking a wooded trail with their daughters, ages 7 and 9. The children survived the attack and were found unharmed shortly after authorities arrived.

According to law enforcement, the couple was ambushed by a stranger. Clinton Brink was stabbed first; Cristen Brink, after helping her children to safety, returned to aid her husband and was also fatally stabbed in what investigators described as a brutal and seemingly inexplicable attack.

The discovery of the couple’s bodies on the trail prompted an immediate manhunt, with state police releasing a composite sketch and surveillance images of a person of interest and asking park visitors to check their photos for clues. The suspect was described as a white male seen leaving the park and driving away in a vehicle with a partially obscured license plate.

After several days of searching and hundreds of public tips, 28‑year‑old Andrew James McGann of Springdale, Arkansas, was arrested on at a barbershop about 30 miles from the park. McGann, a schoolteacher who had recently been hired but had not yet begun working, was charged with two counts of capital murder in connection with the killings. Authorities said DNA evidence linked him to the scene, and he later pleaded not guilty in court. Prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty.

As of late 2025, no clear motive had been publicly identified, and investigators stated they had found no known connection between McGann and the victims. The attack shocked the region and underscored how senseless violence can erupt even in places considered safe.