By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Baltimore County, Maryland, reported that homicides fell to five-year lows in 2025 with 28 killings — nearly half the number from 2021, officials said.
• The Baltimore County Police Department reported solving 26 of 28 homicide cases, yielding a 93% clearance rate.
• Nonfatal shootings also declined sharply in 2025 and saw a 95% clearance rate.
• Police attributed the overall declines to prevention, engagement and enforcement strategies.
BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Homicides in Baltimore County declined in 2025 to their lowest level in five years, while clearance rates for violent crime rose, county law enforcement officials announced.
Preliminary data show the county recorded 28 homicides in 2025, down from 55 in 2021, representing a nearly 49% decrease over that period, the Baltimore County Police Department said.
Police reported solving 26 of the 28 homicide cases in 2025, leading to a 93% homicide clearance rate that officials said reflects investigative effectiveness.
Nonfatal shootings also decreased markedly during the year, with 41 cases reported and 39 cleared for a 95% clearance rate, according to police.
Chief Robert McCullough attributed the declines and high clearance rates to focused prevention efforts, community engagement and targeted enforcement strategies by patrol officers and detectives.
The sustained reductions in violent crime and improvements in case outcomes mark the fifth consecutive year of falling homicide numbers in Baltimore County, officials said.