Indy sees significant drop in homicides, violent crime over first half of 2025

INDIANAPOLIS — Halfway through the year, Indianapolis has seen a dramatic decline in homicides and violent crime.

Just before 4 a.m. Monday, Indianapolis Metro police were called to a home on Butler Avenue and found 18-year-old Jaylon Hayden shot. Hayden’s death marked the 72nd homicide of the year, down by nearly 30 deaths compared to the same time last year.

On the last day of June 2024, outside an apartment complex on East 39th Street, 18-year-old Isaac Williams was shot to death. That marked the 101st homicide of 2024.

For the last five years, Indianapolis topped 100 homicides at the end of June. However, this year that number has dropped to 72 – the lowest total on the same date since 2017.

“It’s too early to celebrate,” said Aaron Williams with the City of Peace Coalition. “Nobody is going to be popping champagne bottles.”

In fact, while it’s little comfort to Hayden’s family, Williams praised IMPD for its dedication in working with grassroots groups to help reduce violence.

“They are doing a phenomenal job in our eyes of working with the community,” said Williams.  “We know IMPD can only be so many places, so it’s up to the community. The community has to take a proactive approach and say violence is not the answer.”

In addition to greater community policing, IMPD plans to continue targeting repeat violent offenders and using a unified dispatch to respond to mental health issues.

“We’re all coming together,” said IMPD Assistant Chief Michael Wolley. “Our cops out on beats are doing directed patrols and data-driven, proactive policing.”

Those community partnerships haven’t just reduced the number of homicides. So far in 2025, IMPD reports fewer non-fatal shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies and burglaries.

Overall, crime has declined by 17% so far this year.

“All crime categories across the board are down,” Wolley said. “That means our community is working together. Our cops are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and our big ask is let’s continue this for the rest of the year.”

Other IMPD officials agreed.

“We’ve seen everything trending downward, and that’s what we want to see,” Officer Tommy Thompson said. “But that takes community engagement and involvement. We need them.”

As a note of caution, in 2017, when there were also 72 homicides at the end of June, the city saw more than 100 homicides in the last six months and finished the year with 178 homicides.