Homicides and shootings are down in Kansas City, police say. See the numbers
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- KC nonfatal shootings dropped more than 30% in 2025; homicides declined about 5%.
- City credits reductions to increased police budgets and collaboration.
- City will likely finish 2025 with 138 homicides, lowest since before mayor took office.
Nonfatal shootings in Kansas City were down more than 30 percent in 2025, with homicides dropping by roughly 5 percent, police and elected officials said Wednesday.
Those numbers were presented by Mayor Quinton Lucas during a press conference with Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves and Jackson County prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
“We are seeing outstanding success this year in Kansas City,” Lucas said. “Those are numbers that are transformational for public safety in our community.”
The press conference saw all three local officials plead for residents to not ring in the new year with celebratory gunfire, a problem that has plagued portions of the city.
The city’s homicide drop is roughly 24.6 percent lower than 2023, the deadliest year in city history, but only about five percent lower when compared to 2024.
Barring any additional killings after Wednesday morning, the city will end the year with 138 homicides.
“If our numbers hold today, we will have the lowest number of homicides that the city has seen since before I was mayor of Kansas City,” Lucas said. “That is very real progress.”
Crime statistics in Kansas City
Lucas said that while some patrol divisions have seen drops of roughly 50 percent, others have seen an increase in homicides, particularly in the south and Northland patrol areas.
Lucas attributed many of those to domestic violence incidents, something all three officials said would be a priority in the new year.
Johnson said that next year, her office would continue to focus on domestic violence, particularly domestic violence related homicides.
“Our charging rate for domestic assaults increased by 30% from 2024,” Johnson said.
The three officials noted that there are plans for a domestic violence task force meeting in the new year, to continue working on reducing the numbers.
Johnson attributed the increase in the charging rate for domestic assaults to a focused effort by her office on referring cases for charges to be filed.
On top of the drop in violent crime, Graves said property crime has also seen decreases, with stolen vehicles dropping by 32 percent.
KCPD budget
Lucas attributed the drop in crime to collaborative efforts and increased police budgets which have led to increased starting salaries for officers, step rate pay increases and higher officer recruitment.
Next year’s budget request for the Police Department is set at roughly $417 million, a $150 million increase when compared to the 2020 budget. The new budget would raise starting salaries from $65,000 to $70,000.
The request follows an amendment to the state constitution requiring Kansas City to provide 25 percent of their fiscal year budget to the police department.
The budget also comes amidst an expected $100 million budget shortfall for the city, which has led to City Manager Mario Vasquez directing departments to freeze budget funding requests in October, according to a release sent out by city officials in late October.
Graves said that the department plans for patrols on New Year’s Eve with a focus on celebratory gunfire, citing the dangers accompanying the act.
“We have an opportunity here in Kansas City to continue the positive trend of reductions in gun violence this year,” Graves said.
“These numbers prove we can make that happen, but it takes all of us, let us all work together, to make Kansas City safer in 2026 starting tonight with no celebratory gunfire and no guns.”
This story was originally published December 31, 2025 at 2:50 PM.
