Minnesota’s violent crime rate and murder total fell sharply in 2025, returning to levels last seen before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The annual Uniform Crime Report recorded 132 murders, down from 172 in 2024 and the lowest figure since 2019. The violent crime rate fell from 260 to 225.3 offences per 100,000 residents.
The BCA initially reported 130 murders before revising the figure. Two additional killings — the June 2025 murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark — had been omitted from the first version of the report.
Violent crime falls across Minnesota
Violent crime declined by 14 per cent across the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area, while the remaining 80 counties recorded a fall of 9 per cent.
Robbery offences dropped by more than a quarter, while aggravated assaults fell by 11 per cent. The figures are based on crimes reported to law enforcement agencies across the state.
Of the 141 total homicides recorded by the BCA, nine were classified as justifiable, leaving 132 murders. Police made arrests in 103 of those cases, giving the year a clearance rate of 78 per cent.
Firearms were used in 92 of the murders, while 21 involved knives or other sharp weapons. Ninety-six victims were male and 15 were under 18.
The report recorded 2,188 rape offences involving 2,182 victims. Of those victims, 820 were children and a further 491 were aged between 18 and 24.
In most cases, victims knew the person accused of attacking them. Only 95 reports involved strangers, while 545 described the alleged attacker as an acquaintance and 330 recorded the relationship as unknown.
Carjackings and thefts also decline
Minnesota recorded 294 carjackings in 2025, including 254 completed offences and 40 attempts, compared with 426 the previous year. Minneapolis accounted for 215 reports and St Paul for 24.
There were 112,031 arrests across the state. Men accounted for 80,468 of them, while juveniles made up 9,303 arrests, or 8.3 per cent of the total.
Young people accounted for 30 per cent of robbery arrests and 26.7 per cent of motor vehicle theft arrests. They represented 9.9 per cent of murder arrests.
Larceny reports fell to 64,157, the lowest level in 57 years, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
