Data shows Philadelphia seeing 56% decrease in homicides, some police districts reporting none
Philadelphia has seen a 56% decrease in homicides compared to last year, which already set a benchmark. It's a trend happening nationally, but some Philadelphia police districts are reporting zero murders going back to Jan. 1.
Brother Leon Shamsiddeen of the Philadelphia Masjid near 48th Street and Lancaster Avenue was cleaning the sidewalks Wednesday.
Shamsiddeen remembers the shootings of three people that happened in this park two years ago next month as 1,000 people celebrated Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. He said back then, the city seemed overwhelmed by gun violence. He was taken aback at the reduction in the homicide rate, which data shows is 56% lower right now than it was this time last year.
"Praise God. We're happy," Shamsiddeen said. "Praise God, we're very thankful. Grateful. That's the goal. No homicides."
If that is the goal, the 16th police district is on target.
In a snapshot of the district that covers parts of West Philly and Parkside, CBS News Philadelphia has uncovered that there have been zero homicides this year. There were five by this date last year.
"I remember that. That was two years ago," Hilton said of the 2024 shooting. "That was horrible."
For all of Philadelphia, there are 21 homicides to date in 2026, compared to 48 at this time a year ago.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel will tell you his plan: don't brake when you have momentum.
"We're at 21 homicides right now," Bethel said. "In 2021, we had 120. A staggering difference."
The downward trend of violent crime is happening in other cities. The city saw a peak of 562 homicides in 2021. That number retreated slowly in the years since. Last year, Philadelphia saw the lowest number of murders in six decades.
Plainly, CBS News Philadelphia asked the commissioner where the violence went.
"Some people will say because of all the shootings, a lot of the folks are off the street or, unfortunately, were killed in that process," Bethel said. "At the end of the day, I don't have any definite data to share with that, but part of our work is to make sure we take individuals who cause harm in our community off the street."
The 12th district in Southwest Philadelphia and the 25th district in Fairhill are at the top of the list of police districts reporting a major reduction in murders and homicides.
A spokesperson for Mayor Cherelle Parker said, "There is no resting here, and the mayor will not be satisfied until every resident in every neighborhood feels safe."
