Crime & Law
Chicago Sees Fewest Homicides in Any May Since 2011: Police
(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
Chicago’s homicide totals in 2025 continue to trend well below other recent years, as the city last month saw its fewest homicides in any May in more than a decade.
According to Chicago Police Department data, there were 36 homicides recorded throughout May 2025, a total that’s down 38% compared to the same month last year and down nearly 50% compared to May 2023.
Those 36 homicides were also the fewest for Chicago in any May since 2011, according to CPD data.
Through the first five months of 2025, Chicago’s homicide total (152) is down 28% compared to the same time last year. The number of shootings (529) and shooting victims (616) recorded thus far in 2025 are also down 35% and 36%, respectively, compared to 2024.
Those totals are the lowest since at least 2019, according to the CPD.
Violent crime in 2025 is down 23% compared to last year, according to police figures, while property crime is down 12%.
The CPD also said motor vehicle thefts are down 28% and burglaries are down 23% year-to-date. Police officers in May also recovered 1,131 illegal firearms, or more than 36 per day, bringing the department’s 2025 total up to more than 4,500.
