Minneapolis is experiencing significant declines across nearly all major crime categories in 2025, even as seven mass shootings have shaken public confidence. The city has documented approximately 50 fewer shootings, nine fewer homicides, and a third fewer carjackings and robberies compared to the previous year. Vehicle thefts, which reached record highs in 2023, have fallen by 25 percent. Some metrics have even dropped below pre-pandemic levels, with robberies down 18 percent and burglaries down 28 percent compared to the first nine months of 2019. The total number of gunshot victims has decreased closer to pre-pandemic volumes despite this year’s high-profile incidents. These reductions align with national patterns, as FBI data reveals a 7 percent drop in violent crime nationwide and a 16 percent decrease in murders.
North Side Neighborhoods See Dramatic Reductions
Shootings have declined in most neighborhoods, including a collective 33 percent drop across North Minneapolis that has driven the area toward record lows. Folwell and Jordan neighborhoods combined for just 16 shootings through September, compared to nearly 40 during the same period last year. Augustus Young, a 38-year-old Folwell resident who purchased his home in 2020, described his area as “calm and quiet” compared to conditions closer to the pandemic when shootings were more frequent. Robert Blackman, 74, another neighborhood resident, noted he used to find shell casings in his alley while walking his dog but hasn’t seen any in the past couple of years. However, some longtime residents remain skeptical about the improvements and continue to hear gunfire weekly.
South Side Progress Faces Setbacks
The Fifth Precinct experienced more shooting victims this year than last, partially due to the Annunciation Church shooting that killed two children and injured 28 others. Gun violence in the Whittier neighborhood south of downtown has increased in recent years, giving it the second-highest shooting count in the city behind Windom. The Third Precinct covering southeast Minneapolis has seen shootings decline across most neighborhoods, but several mass shootings in Phillips and Longfellow have elevated the homicide count above last year’s figures. Three separate mass shootings along Lake Street near the end of summer added to neighborhood concerns. Emanuel Cole, a 53-year-old resident living near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, expressed doubts about citywide crime reductions, citing frequent car break-ins, open drug use, and garage thefts.
Property Crime Shows Mixed Results
While overall larcenies have decreased in Minneapolis, thefts from vehicles have been climbing back up in recent years. Shoplifting has jumped one third from last year, and thefts from buildings increased approximately 25 percent. Residents near Lake Street have observed growing numbers of homeless individuals throughout neighborhoods following encampment clearances. Diana Current, a renter in the area who was previously homeless herself, believes the primary need is providing assistance and resources to help people deal with trauma and poverty. Minneapolis mirrors nationwide trends, as a midyear Council on Criminal Justice report showed violent crime rate declines in major American cities including Chicago, Washington, and Baltimore.
Perceptions Struggle To Match Statistics
Police Chief Brian O’Hara acknowledged at a recent news conference that the perception of safety took a hit after four mass shootings at the end of summer. Mayor Jacob Frey emphasized the importance of addressing both actual crime trends and safety perceptions, calling the progress “very real” but “fragile”. Chris Uggen, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota, explained that proximity in time, space, and identity makes it difficult to reduce safety concerns following dramatic events. The assassinations of Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, along with the Annunciation church shooting, were particularly traumatic events that ripple through communities. Uggen noted that while trends are moving toward pre-pandemic levels, incidents are becoming more lethal on average, which remains concerning.
