Brooklyn recorded its safest year in history in 2025, with homicides and shooting homicides both dropping about 25%, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Shooting incidents and victims also fell, down 15% and 11% respectively, improving on last year’s record lows. Brooklyn was the only borough where all four categories declined each year since peaking in 2020.
There were 91 murders in the borough, a 24% drop from 120 in 2024, and the lowest total since 2018. Shooting homicides fell to 47 from 63, surpassing previous lows recorded in 2017 and 2019. Shooting incidents totaled 244, while shooting victims numbered 307. Since 2020, homicides have fallen 48%, shootings 63%, and shooting victims 62%.
Gun violence fell sharply in housing developments, with homicides down 41%, shootings down 31% and shooting incidents down 32%. Brooklyn saw three stretches of 17 days without a homicide and two nine-day periods without a shooting victim.
“Brooklyn’s record-low homicides and gun violence prove that community engagement, fairness, and trust make neighborhoods safer," Gonzalez said in a statement. "By listening to residents, holding the most dangerous offenders accountable, and breaking cycles of violence, we are showing that safety comes from partnership, not vilifying our neighbors. I am confident that we can continue this encouraging trend into the new year.”
Neighborhoods with the largest drops included Brownsville, where murders fell 67% to seven, Crown Heights with a 58% decline to five, and Bensonhurst, which reported zero homicides after six the year prior. Other precincts with no homicides included Bay Ridge, Borough Park and Greenpoint. Shooting reductions were highest in Crown Heights (46%), Brownsville (34%) and East New York (31%).
Arrests for retail theft fell nearly 20%, the largest drop in the city, after an enforcement program targeted repeat offenders. Brooklyn also led the city in percentage declines in burglaries (8.6%), hate crimes (10.8%), auto theft (10.6%) and robberies (5.4%).
The District Attorney’s office oversaw 133 Supreme Court trials, yielding 135 verdicts and an 85% conviction rate. Highlights included a seven-year sentence in a deed fraud case with the return of 11 stolen properties. The Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, with NYPD support, dismantled two gangs involved in fatal shootings. The Virtual Currency Unit indicted a Brooklyn man for stealing over $15 million in cryptocurrency, recovering hundreds of thousands in stolen funds.
Community outreach remained a focus, with more than 30 events including crime prevention seminars, holiday giveaways and gun buybacks that collected over 350 firearms. Project Restore relaunched to support at-risk youth and prevent early involvement in gangs.
According to the NYPD’s Compstat data, 2025 marks a historic turning point for safety in Brooklyn, underscoring the role of community partnerships, targeted enforcement and prevention programs in reducing violence.
