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Milwaukee homicides increased in 2025
Milwaukee just finished a deadly 2025. The city saw its number of homicides rise compared to the year prior, while other cities saw big drops.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee just finished a deadly 2025. The city saw its number of homicides rise compared to the year prior, while other cities saw big drops.
Milwaukee homicides up
By the numbers:
Milwaukee Police Department data shows 142 people were killed last year – up roughly 8% compared to the previous year. It was 10 more than in 2024, but still down from the city's record set in 2022.
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- 2019: 97
- 2020: 190
- 2021: 193
- 2022: 215
- 2023: 172
- 2024: 132
- 2025: 142 (as of Jan. 2, 2026)
Dig deeper:
Why were Milwaukee homicides up in 2025? MPD reported non-fatal shootings were down 19% (639 in 2024 vs. 515 in 2025) and carjackings were down 49% (513 in 2024 and 264 in 2025).
The Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission provides insight about the victims. Over the first seven months of 2025, it found 89% of homicide victims were Black, 84% were men and 42% were 29 years old or younger.
As for the suspects in those homicides, 57% were 29 years old or younger. The commission also found most victims knew their killer, while 13% of suspects were listed as strangers.
Nationwide drop
Big picture view:
Though it wasn't the case in Milwaukee, national headlines celebrated homicide numbers dropping elsewhere in 2025. Chicago, for example, reported its lowest number of homicides in 60 years:
- 416 homicides through Dec. 30, 2025
- Homicides down 29% in 2025 compared to 2024
- Previous low of 395 set in 1965, according to the Chicago Police Department
Milwaukee police crime scene
Baltimore saw its lowest number of homicides in nearly 50 years, too.
Nationally, homicides were down. The AH Datalytics Real-Time Crime Index suggests homicides in 2025 saw the largest one-year drop. The index includes data from 570 police agencies through October 2025, so it's not the year's picture just yet.
What's next for Milwaukee?
What they're saying:
Mayor Cavalier Johnson spoke to FOX6 News before the new year.
"When you look at crime overall, things have come down. There’s been a persistent issue around homicides this year. And that’s terrible, it’s unfortunate, because every life matters," he said. "Nobody’s life deserves to be cut short, especially by deadly gun violence we see far too often in our community."
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The mayor said the city will continue to focus on holding criminals accountable.
"We should also have preventive programs and opportunities out there, so folks don’t do that in the first place," he said. "We should build strong families and build strong neighborhoods, so that folks are less likely to enter into that space in their life."
Throughout 2025, FOX6 News heard from victims' loved ones. Will 2026 be the year to listen?
The Source: Information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department.