Youth Homicides In Baltimore Drop To Lowest Level In Over a Decade

The number of children killed in Baltimore during the first half of 2025 has dropped to the lowest level in over 10 years, just two death, reflecting a broader trend of declining violence in the city.

The significant drop comes amid ongoing efforts to treat gun violence as a public health crisis. Both city and state officials have funneled resources into intervention and prevention programs aimed at steering young people away from violence before it starts.

Historically, child victims, those ages 0 to 17, have represented only a small share of the city’s overall homicide and nonfatal shooting counts, according to Baltimore Police Department. While the number of youth homicides during the first half of each year has remained under 10 for more than a decade, 2025’s count of just two is the lowest since at least 2015, the earliest year with reliable data.

Though nonfatal youth shootings ticked up slightly compared to 2024, they are still down nearly 50% since 2023. Baltimore recorded 66 total homicides through the end of June, and city officials say the city is on pace for one of the safest years in decades. Mayor Brandon Scott credited the decline in violence to his administration’s Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan, which takes a holistic approach to reducing crime by interrupting violence and supporting families.

At the state level, the Department of Juvenile Services launched Thrive Academy in 2023 to serve youth most at risk of becoming involved in gun violence. whether as victims or perpetrators. Of the 131 teens referred to the program in its first year, only two experienced nonfatal shootings. The program pairs youth with mentors and provides access to therapy, job training, tutoring, and even relocation services when necessary. With a per-participant cost of $14,500, Thrive is a fraction of the more than $400,000 it costs to incarcerate a child annually in Maryland.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates praised young people and their families for helping to reverse violent trends. He said the majority of youth in the city are on a positive path, and he remains optimistic about their future. “I’m bullish on the kids of Baltimore,” he said.

Data reviewed by The Baltimore Banner shows youth homicides have sharply declined compared to 2023. The analysis, which covers the first half of each year from 2015 to 2025, includes all children age 17 and younger and accounts for all causes of death, not just gun violence. Still, about 64% of child homicides during this period involved a firearm.