PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md (7News) — For the first time in several years, Prince George’s County is set to end the year with fewer than 100 homicides.
As of Tuesday, there have been 66 murders in the county and its municipalities. The most recent was the murder of a 44-year-old, Maria Hernandez Gonzalez.
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Police said her son, Fredy Hernandez, 22, killed her inside their Laurel apartment Saturday night.
The county finished 2024 with 114 homicides, continuing a 3-year trend of more than 100 each year. Police Chief George Nader is attributing the nearly 40% decline to a number of factors.
“Strategies such as problem-oriented policing, blue lights night initiatives, enhanced domestic violence partnerships and advanced analytics through our real-time crime center are making measurable differences,” Nader said.
7News has also spoken to community activists working as violence interrupters. Tiffani Evans lost her 9-year-old son to gun violence and now works in the community as a violence interruptor.
“Just giving back to the people, giving them food, giving them hot meals, you know what I’m saying, hot cocoa, clothes letting the ladies know they can get their flowers while they’re breathing. Just the smallest things, just letting the community know we’re still here, we still love them,” she said.
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Evans believes that work has contributed to the downward trend in violence as well.
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