Chicago recorded 37 homicides in July, the fewest for any single July in more than half a century, even as the city’s year-to-date total remains slightly above last year’s historically low pace. The number marks real progress, but it is hardly a victory lap: 37 people were still killed.
New Chicago Police Department data reported by WTTW News show that July’s homicide total fell 18% from the 44 recorded in July 2025. It was also less than half the totals recorded in July 2020 and July 2021, when more than 100 people were killed in each month.
Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the improvement Tuesday while stressing that the city’s work is not finished. “One homicide or shooting is one too many,” Johnson said in a post on X, thanking police officers, violence intervention workers and victim-services advocates working through the summer.
One homicide or shooting is one too many, but we are grateful for this progress as we continue to make Chicago the safest, most affordable big city in America.
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) August 4, 2026
I want to thank our police officers, violence intervention workers, and victims services advocates who are working to keep Chicagoans safe this summer. https://t.co/oZU65dMSfw
July’s record came with a mixed 2026 crime picture
Through the first seven months of 2026, Chicago recorded 250 homicides, compared with 244 during the same period last year, according to WTTW News. Shooting incidents were nearly flat at 840, versus 842 last year, while the number of shooting victims rose to 1,055 from 1,039.
The city’s public crime records remain available through the City of Chicago data portal, where crime totals can change as cases are processed and records are reconciled. In other words, July’s result is a significant snapshot, not a guarantee that the rest of the year will follow the same script.
The broader trend is still notable. The Chicago Public Safety DataHub reported that 2025 marked the city’s fourth consecutive year of declines in shootings and homicides, with the lowest per-capita homicide rate since 1965, while warning that sustaining the gains will require continued investment and targeted strategies.
City leaders are claiming progress without declaring victory
Johnson’s statement credits several groups rather than casting the decline as the work of City Hall alone: patrol officers, community violence interrupters and advocates who help victims and families navigate the aftermath of shootings. That framing reflects the city’s broader public-safety strategy, which combines policing with prevention and neighborhood-based intervention.
For Chicago residents, the numbers offer an unusual bit of relief during the most dangerous stretch of the calendar. They also come with a blunt reminder from the mayor himself: a record-low July is progress, but it does not make a single homicide acceptable.
