Nonfatal shootings up in Kansas City compared to 2025, police say
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- Kansas City recorded 120 nonfatal shooting victims as of May 10, 2026.
- The 120 victims represent a 15% increase from the same period in 2025.
- Drones responded to 459 calls in April and were first on scene about 65% of times.
Kansas City has seen an increase in nonfatal shootings so far this year, according to Police Department data shared Tuesday, reversing some of the progress city officials highlighted at the end of 2025 when such shootings had fallen sharply.
Crime statistics shared during Tuesday’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting showed the city had recorded 120 nonfatal shooting victims as of May 10, a 15% increase from the same period in 2025, when there were 102 victims.
Deputy Chief Doug Niemeier of the Investigations Bureau said that while the number is up year over year, non-fatal shootings remain below levels seen in previous years.
“If you look at the five-year comparison there, we’re slightly up from last year, but we are still down over the five years,” Niemeier said during the meeting.
Police Department officials said in December that nonfatal shootings in Kansas City were down more than 30% in 2025. The city recorded 396 nonfatal shootings last year after totals surpassed 500 annually from 2022 through 2024.
As nonfatal shooting numbers have gone up slightly, homicide numbers have decreased year over year, with 42 occurring in 2026 compared to 55 in 2025, according to Niemeier.
Officials share drone program statistics
Niemeier also shared data with commissioners from the drones as a first responder program.
During April, drones responded to a total of 459 calls for service for the department and were first on scene in roughly 65% of those calls. Officials said 12% of those calls were resolved without an officer being dispatched.
The drone program was launched last year as a way to respond to certain calls before officers arrive, providing real-time video of active scenes, tracking suspects and helping coordinate responses on the ground.
Funding has come from multiple sources, including $600,000 from the Police Foundation of Kansas City last April and $500,000 approved by the City Council in November to support the program’s development.
Niemeier said that the department is currently working on phase two of the program, as it looks to expand.
“We’re hoping that in the future, we will actually cover even more of the city, and at some point, we’ll get 100% coverage,” Niemeier said.
