Data shows homicides experiencing steep decline in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus is experiencing a steep decline in homicides so far this year, mirroring a trend seen in cities across the nation. 

Data from January through April shows homicides were down by 50% in Columbus compared with the same period last year, according to AH Analytics, a data consulting firm. By April this year, 14 homicides had occurred in the city, compared with 28 in the same period in 2024.

Columbus is not the only city seeing a drop. Nationwide, homicides were down 20.1% during this period, based on AH Analytics' compilation of crime data from 377 cities where updated statistics were available. 

The downward trend is a continuation of historic drops seen over the past few years. In 2023, homicides declined by about 13% nationwide, and preliminary data indicates homicides dropped by 16% in 2024. Before 2023, the largest one-year decline was 9% in 1996, said Jeff Asher, the founder of AH Analytics.

“We would expect to see, at least from the early data, the strong possibility of a historic decline in murder again for the third straight year this year," Asher said.

The United States saw a jump in homicides in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with rates remaining high into 2021 and 2022. Between 2019 and 2020, the homicide rate jumped 30% – the largest single-year increase in more than a century. 

A large number of individuals being pushed out of school and work in 2020 likely contributed to the spike, according to The Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan research nonprofit. The recovery of employment rates and school attendance is likely contributing to the nationwide drop, the organization found. 

Asher stated he believes the country is likely starting to see the impact of federal spending from past years that was designed to reduce crime. For example, the American Rescue Plan of 2021 and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 allocated billions to violence prevention initiatives. 

“We have not solved any of the root causes of crime -- poverty is still there, education is still an issue,” Asher said. “The strongest explanatory factor is going to come from our big picture national factors.”

Malissa Thomas-St. Clair, founder of the local crime prevention nonprofit Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children, also pointed to federal funding as a driver of the decrease. She additionally credited violence reduction initiatives her organization has launched, including Operation Under Triple Digits, which aims to keep the city’s homicide numbers under 100 per year through community outreach. 

“You had a very intentional focus on violence prevention nationally, which funneled to the state level, local level, down the grassroots,” Thomas-St. Clair said. “But really focusing here in Columbus, I think the decline especially within this year is due to really data-driven initiatives like Under Triple Digits.”

While Columbus has seen promising statistics so far this year, Asher said only time will tell if the trend will continue. Studies indicate that violent crime increases in the summer months, partly due to longer daylight hours and more people socializing. 

“You basically need more time to know the degree to which, is this a long-term trend or is this a couple of good months, a cold winter or something like that in Columbus,” Asher said.

To help maintain the downward trend, Thomas-St. Clair said her organization recently launched a youth mentorship program focused on building trade skills. The initiative will serve up to 70 individuals between the ages of 11 to 17. Along with traditional trades like construction, what Thomas-St. Clair calls “trendy trades” will also be included, such as podcasting, social media influencing and logo design.