New FBI data showing a 9.3% fall in violent crime across the United States in 2025 has highlighted a contrasting rise in homicides in Milwaukee, where police figures recorded a seven per cent increase last year.
The FBI said the decline was the largest year-on-year reduction in violent crime since national estimates began in 1936. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter fell by 18.1%, robbery by 18.5%, rape by 7.6% and aggravated assault by 7.2%.
Milwaukee homicide figures diverge from national trend
Milwaukee’s figures did not follow the national pattern. The Milwaukee Police Department recorded increases in homicides and human trafficking in 2025, although other categories of crime fell.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said serious crime, classified by the FBI as Part One crime, fell by 17% in the city last year, while overall violent crime dropped by 22%. He said homicides were the main exception, rising despite a substantial fall in non-fatal shootings.
Alan Karr, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Milwaukee field office, said the national statistics should not be treated as a measure of every individual community.
“Nationally, that was the trend, but here in Milwaukee we saw a slight uptick in homicides,” Mr Karr said. “That is specific to the city of Milwaukee. Overall, the state of Wisconsin did see a decrease in homicides.”
The latest Milwaukee figures show a different picture so far this year. Homicides were down 23% year to date in 2026, while burglary and theft recorded slight increases.
The FBI’s national data was compiled from reports submitted by more than 17,000 law-enforcement agencies, covering about 96% of the US population. The bureau estimated that 1,119,768 violent offences took place nationwide in 2025, equivalent to a rate of 327.6 offences per 100,000 people.
Mr Karr said the FBI was continuing to work with local and state agencies on investigations and enforcement operations targeting violent offenders, illegal firearms and drugs.
The bureau is currently conducting Operation Summer Heat 2.0, a 95-day nationwide initiative. Mr Karr said arrests had increased during the operation, alongside the number of guns and drugs seized from the streets.
He urged residents who were concerned about crime in their communities to report information to authorities.
“We work daily to make our communities safer,” Mr Karr said. “If they see something we ask them to let us know about it, and if we aren’t the right person to address it, we’ll get it to the right authorities to evaluate it.”
