In 2025, Chicago experienced its lowest murder rate in over 60 years with 416 homicides, a significant decline driven by community investment, strategic policing, and social programs, despite ongoing high-profile crimes and challenges like domestic violence. The city’s efforts, including increased police collaboration and violence intervention programs, contributed to a 29% decrease in homicides, marking a historic low since 1965, though experts caution that sustained investment is crucial for continued progress.
A recent stabbing on a UK train highlights ongoing issues with knife crime in Britain, which, despite a slight decrease in recorded offenses, remains a significant social concern linked to factors like deprivation, mental health, and societal violence culture. Efforts to reduce knife crime include enforcement, community programs, and early intervention, but experts emphasize the need for broader social support and prevention strategies.
A new law in New York, the Retail Worker Safety Act, takes effect to improve safety for retail employees by requiring safety programs, violence prevention, de-escalation training, active-shooter drills, and discreet emergency alert systems, aiming to address rising violence and harassment in the retail sector.
The Baltimore Archdiocese organized a gun buyback event in West Baltimore, collecting 356 firearms, including handguns and semiautomatic weapons. While some questioned the effectiveness of buybacks in curbing violence, local leaders expressed hope for peace building. The event ran out of cash and gift cards, and organizers acknowledged the need to reach out to young people who are both victims and suspects of gun violence. The buyback aimed not only to reduce the supply of firearms but also to launch a place of hope and promote community healing. Elected officials emphasized the importance of addressing gun traffickers and sellers to tackle the root causes of violence.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and police officials announced a $2.5 million public-private partnership plan to support violence prevention and youth outreach efforts across the city during Memorial Day weekend and the summer and fall. The plan includes funding for 253 grassroots organizations working across 24 communities on the South and West sides. The Office of Emergency Management and Communications is asking residents and visitors to be aware of their surroundings, with many festivals, concerts, and athletic events planned, and CPD will increase its presence across the city and on the lakefront to maintain public safety.
A gunman killed eight people and wounded 14 in two villages in Serbia, a day after a 13-year-old boy used his father’s guns to kill eight fellow students and a guard at a school in Belgrade. The suspect wore a T-shirt bearing a pro-Nazi slogan, and police arrested him after an all-night search. The back-to-back bloodshed sent shockwaves through a Balkan nation scarred by wars, but unused to mass murders. The Serbian government sought to crack down on guns and police raced to investigate the fresh violence, while the nation started to ask what social factors may have contributed to the mass shootings.
