Baltimore City hit a new record low for monthly homicides in April with five reported killings.

That is the lowest number of monthly homicides since the city began keeping monthly records in 1970, confirmed a spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department.

On top of that, the total number of homicides in 2025, currently at 39, are the lowest they have been at the start of any recorded year so far.

Mayor Brandon Scott called the milestone “progress” but said in a news statement that more work needs to be done.

“Five homicides in April is still five too many — and we will continue to use all tools at our disposal to prevent violence and save lives,” said Scott. “Baltimore deserves nothing less.”

The administration shared numbers based on BPD data Thursday to show that April homicides were down 31.6% from last year and nonfatal shootings are down 27.1%.

Scott credits tandem efforts by the city’s police department, state’s attorney and partners in the community violence intervention ecosystem.

“The tireless dedication of so many across our city is making a real difference and truly saving lives,” said BPD Commissioner Richard Worley in a statement to WYPR, noting that April is the second month in 2025 where Baltimore had a single digit homicide rate.

“While there is still much work to be done, these numbers show that we’re moving in the right direction, together,” said Worley.

Homicide has been falling in Baltimore City since 2023 when they finally came below 300 killings per year. The rate has fallen far below what it was at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; in 2019 the city recorded 348 homicides.

While Baltimore City has seen some of the steepest declines in the last two years, nationwide homicide rates have also been falling since 2022. According to analysis from the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank, homicide nationwide dropped by 7% in 2022 and then dropped another 11% in 2023. That number dropped another 16% in 2024.

Since 2020, Baltimore homicides have declined by 40% while nonfatal shootings have declined by 43%.

There is anxiety about how that trajectory can be sustained after an announcement from the Trump administration last week that cancelled at least millions of dollars worth of grants to certain violence prevention programs, including some in Baltimore.

In a statement, Scott said the Trump administration gave “lip service” to public safety but “doesn’t give a damn about it.”