Baltimore just flipped the narrative. For a city too often used as a political talking point for urban decay and violent crime, the latest numbers are jaw-dropping in the best way possible: Baltimore’s homicide rate has hit a 50-year low, and Mayor Brandon Scott is getting his flowers for it.
According to Fox 45, there were only 68 homicides reported through June 2025—the lowest number recorded in that time frame in half a century. That’s a 20-person drop compared to the same period last year. April alone saw just five homicides, which The Baltimore Banner noted was the city’s lowest monthly total since at least 2012. Mayor Scott took it even further, saying that April’s numbers were the lowest ever in the city’s recorded history.
This is no accident. It’s the result of a multi-year strategy driven by Scott since the pandemic spike in violence. In 2023, homicides started dropping. In 2024, they fell by another 20%. In 2025, Baltimore is breaking records—and breaking free from tired narratives.
Other violent crimes have followed the same downward trend. Carjackings, arson, robberies, and nonfatal shootings are all down at least 10% compared to 2024. And what’s more important: the violence isn’t just disappearing, it’s becoming less concentrated. The kind of safety that was once a luxury in certain neighborhoods is becoming more widespread across the city.
Mayor Scott’s game plan didn’t involve bloated police budgets. It was about people. His administration teamed up with federal initiatives under the Biden administration, cracked down on ghost guns, and invested in targeted violence prevention in the city’s most vulnerable areas. But it didn’t stop there—he matched police presence with real social services and long-term investments.
“Baltimore is built different, so we had to approach public safety differently, and it’s working. We left behind the failed tactics and took on a bold, new, public health approach to gun violence. Now, we’re seeing record reductions across our city. These reductions would not be possible, without each and every resident, community-partner, agency, and law enforcement personnel working together to build a better, safer Baltimore. We will keep building, keep growing, and keep strengthening our approach to continue the progress we’ve made. Our city deserves nothing less,” wrote Mayor Scott in a statement posted to social media.
Since the reports have been released, social media has praised Mayor Scott for the fruit of his labor.
“Mayor Brandon Scott has reduced crime in Baltimore by 62%, and now has the lowest homicide rate in Baltimore history. How did he do it? NOT [by] spending more on police. He did it by MAJOR investment in afterschool and literacy programs. Socialism works,” wrote user @potter_del to Threads.
“Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott invested in 42 summer youth camps, 29 literacy programs, extended the rec center hours to 11 p.m., planned block parties, opened the pools for safe fun, and opened several schools up for summer classes…Crime is down 62%. Imagine that,” user @mindingmyblackownbiz added.
It’s not just Baltimore. A quiet revolution is happening in Black-led cities across the country, Blavity reports. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced a 24% drop in murders during the first four months of 2025, plus major drops in robberies, carjackings, and auto thefts. “Crime is down in Chicago, it continues to fall,” Johnson said. “We’re gonna continue to show up, but it’s not just policing, it can’t be policing alone.”
Atlanta has seen a 31% drop in violent crime since Mayor Andre Dickens took office in 2021—and a 60% drop since 2009. Dickens credits community organizations just as much as law enforcement.
Cleveland cut homicides in half compared to early 2024. Philadelphia recorded its lowest gun violence rates in more than a decade. And in St. Paul, Minnesota, under Mayor Melvin Carter, there were just four homicides through May 2025—only one involving a gun—after launching a specialized police unit focused on nonfatal shootings.
These wins directly challenge the doom-and-gloom talking points often used by conservative critics about Democratic or Black-led cities. The data doesn’t lie: these cities are safer, and it’s not by accident—it’s by design.
“This historic drop is not a coincidence — It is the result of our all-of-the-above strategy to partner with Baltimore City to both hold offenders accountable and build stronger communities with increased access to opportunity,” said Maryland Governor Wes Moore of Baltimore’s homicide decline.
Mayor Brandon Scott isn’t just being praised for record-low numbers. He’s being recognized for proving that investing in people—especially youth—actually makes cities safer. And as more cities follow suit, Baltimore’s blueprint may become the new gold standard for public safety done right.
Cover photo: Mayor Brandon Scott Praised As Baltimore’s Homicide Rate Hits 50-Year Low/Photo credit: Office of the Mayor