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U.S. Homicides Drop 18.7% in 2026, Lowest Since 1960s

6/30/2026

47 10 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Jeff Asher says 2026 Crime Index data show the U.S. homicide rate fell 18.7%, the lowest since the FBI began publishing figures in the 1960s.
Gary Ernsdorff and Jerry Ratcliffe attribute the decline, reflected in King County’s drop to 204 shots and nine deaths in Q1 2026, to a return to normal activity after pandemic disruptions and to renewed policing, linking the earlier surge to pandemic and George Floyd unrest.

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Story summary

Jeff Asher says 2026 Crime Index data show the U.S. homicide rate fell 18.7%, the lowest since the FBI began publishing figures in the 1960s.
Gary Ernsdorff and Jerry Ratcliffe attribute the decline, reflected in King County’s drop to 204 shots and nine deaths in Q1 2026, to a return to normal activity after pandemic disruptions and to renewed policing, linking the earlier surge to pandemic and George Floyd unrest.