Story perspectives
Transit Crime Soars: Assaults and Murders Reach Alarming Highs
9/12/2025
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Story summary
- National transit crime has increased since 2020, mainly due to stranger-on-stranger violence.
- Annual heavy-rail murders rose from an average of 5 (2008-2019) to 15, peaking at 19 last year.
- Heavy-rail assaults surged from 315 to 728 annually during the same period.
- Overall U.S. transit killings jumped from 14 to 40, with assaults rising from 836 to 1,687.
- Increased disorder in transit systems heightens passenger feelings of unsafety.
