BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Baltimore recorded a decline in homicides during the first five months of 2026, continuing a multi-year reduction in violent crime, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Monday.
As of June 1, the city has reported 40 homicides and 120 non-fatal shootings, compared to 52 homicides and 121 non-fatal shootings during the same period in 2025.
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The figures represent a 23.1% decrease in homicides and a slight decline in non-fatal shootings.
“We continue to see historic public safety progress by Baltimore, for Baltimore,” said Mayor Scott, via press release. “Together with the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Department, our community violence intervention ecosystem, the Office of the Attorney General, my Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, the State’s Attorney’s Office, and our residents, we are delivering proven, data-driven solutions that get at the root of violence in our communities. We still see too many people turning to guns to solve conflicts, and one life lost to violence in our city is one too many. In the months and years to come, we will continue to invest in these strategies, strengthen our partnerships, and maintain our focus on saving lives.”
A key component of the city’s violence reduction efforts has been Baltimore’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS), a partnership involving the Baltimore Police Department, the Mayor’s Office, and prosecutors.
The initiative targets violent social networks that officials say are responsible for a disproportionate share of gun violence in the city.
Since launching in the department’s Western District in 2022, GVRS has led to more than 649 arrests and connected more than 384 individuals to life coaching and support services through organizations including YAP Inc. and Roca, according to city officials.
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Law enforcement officials also highlighted efforts to remove illegal firearms from Baltimore’s streets.
As of May 30, Baltimore police officers had seized more than 850 firearms, including 88 ghost guns, and made 535 gun-related arrests.
Additionally, as of May 30, carjackings are down 45%, burglaries are down 16%, auto theft is down 7%, and total robberies are down 14% compared to this time last year.
Despite the city’s emphasis on GVRS, some local officials and legal experts question how much of the decline can be attributed to the program.
In 2024, Baltimore recorded 201 homicides, a milestone in the city’s effort to break the grip violent crime has had on Baltimore for decades.
However, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said GVRS was not the primary driver behind the city’s homicide decline in 2024.
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Instead, Bates credited the work of his office and its partnerships with law enforcement agencies. When asked whether GVRS was responsible for the decline in homicides, Bates responded simply: “No.”
Bates also took issue with the fact that GVRS is not operational in every police district. The program started in 2022 as a pilot in the Western Police District.
Since then, the program has expanded to additional districts, and Mayor Scott has said he intends to implement GVRS citywide.
Criminal defense attorney Jeremy Eldridge, another critic of the program, likewise questioned GVRS’s impact.
“It wasn’t until Ivan Bates and Erek Barron sat down and reestablished that partnership that it’s created this fear among gun offenders,” Eldridge said.
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