Homicides decline over 25%, according to mayor's office

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Tuesday a decline of more than one-fourth in the number of homicides and people shot since she took office two years ago. Statistics released by the L.A. Police Department show murders are down 28.1% and 26.2% fewer people have been shot.

Gang-related homicides were a particularly bright spot, down by 50% since 2022. City officials attributed the decline in part to programs like Summer Night Lights and Fall Friday Nights, which aim to create supervised spaces for young people at times when gang activities have traditionally been high.

Over 316,000 people received food, programming, or resources through the programs. This includes 12,534 youths who were able to play basketball or soccer for free, and 2,670 adults who participated in an evening sports league.

Officials will release data for 2024 on the efficacy of SNL in January. In previous years, crime has decreased in areas covered by the program.

“Homicides are down and our Fire Department has expanded health and safety capability thanks to urgent action taken to keep Angelenos safe but we know many in L.A. still don’t feel safe every day – that must change,” Bass said in a statement. 

The release continued “we will work to respond quickly to crime when it occurs, prevent crime from happening in the first place, and support our firefighters to ensure we build a Los Angeles that’s safer for all.”

Mayor Bass’s office said that it is continuing its efforts to crack down on other categories of crime, including burglary and organized retail theft. It says that both commercial and residential burglaries have decreased.

However, the mayor’s statement did note a “concerning rise in home invasions” taking place in the Encino region of the San Fernando Valley. LAPD has responded with enhanced presence in the area affected.

L.A. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was also present at the Tuesday press conference, and highlighted a number of non-crime related safety measures which the city has put in place. She indicated the city had secured more than $50 million in funding to replace aging firefighting vehicles and purchase new equipment.