Mid-Year Report Shows Drop in Crime Despite Uptown Concerns

CMPD released its 2025 mid-year crime statistics Thursday, reporting decreases in violent crime, property crime and overall crime.

The report compiled statistics for January through June 2025, finding that Charlotte saw the overall crime rate drop by 8% compared to the same time last year as well as a 25% reduction in violent crime, which comprises homicides, rapes, robberies, shootings and other aggravated assaults. 

Property crime such as residential and commercial burglary, auto theft and larceny, was down 5% in the first two quarters, according to the report. 

It should be noted that six months worth of crime stats do not necessarily denote a trend. The 2025 mid-year crime report follows a year that saw a 3% drop in overall crime even as violent crime victimization rose by the same percentage.

“I am incredibly proud of our patrol officers, who are in our neighborhoods daily, engaging with the community, observing suspicious activity and providing our detectives with the crucial information needed to arrest violent offenders,” said CMPD Deputy Chief Ryan Butler, who oversees the Investigative Services Group. “The progress we’re making in reducing violent crime comes from strong, ongoing teamwork.”

Though falling outside of the reporting period, CMPD officials acknowledged on Thursday that a slate of high-profile crimes that have occurred this month in Uptown have some residents convinced that the area is less safe than ever. 

In one such incident that occurred at around 6:15 a.m. on July 6, an off-duty CMPD officer was shot while responding to a disturbance outside of The Ascher Uptown high-rise apartment complex in Fourth Ward.

A week later, in the early morning hours of July 13, six people were shot outside of Encore Nightclub in First Ward, including Encore employee Arleigh Bryant, 37, who was killed. Bryant’s killing was the fifth murder Queen City Nerve has tracked within a few blocks of each other in First Ward this year and the sixth within the I-277 loop of Uptown.

Queen City Nerve tracked just four homicides inside the Uptown loop throughout the entirety of 2024.   

In the above map tracking homicides in Charlotte in 2025 as tracked by Queen City Nerve, black markers signify deaths by gun violence, green markers signify killings that may be deemed justified, red markers signify stabbings, yellow markers signify murder by vehicle, purple markers signify deaths by trauma or unknown cause, and blue markers signify police killings.

During Thursday’s press conference, CMPD officials said they are increasing police presence in Uptown, especially in areas with lots of bars, restaurants and clubs.

”There is nowhere in the city that you can go where you will find more officers per square block than you will in the Central Division,” Butler said.

Street takeovers and juvenile crime

CMPD is reporting a 16% drop in juvenile arrests during the first half of 2025, crediting its Juvenile Accountability and Diversion Empowerment (JADE) team, monitors at-risk youth by conducting home visits and providing resources to juveniles and their families to prevent recidivism.

The JADE team made 97 arrests and seized 72 firearms in the first two quarters while making 84 home visits. 

“Our department isn’t just focused on making arrests,” said Capt. Michael Carter of the Steele Creek Division. “We’re committed to making a difference in the lives of young people. That’s why our JADE officers continue to make home visits to families of at-risk youth and to provide educational resources aimed at prevention and support.”

Beyond juvenile crime, street takeovers have been a top issue that residents have called on police to curtail in recent years. CMPD’s Street Takeover Task Force works to dismantle illegal street activities or “street takeovers,” incidents in which car owners shut down intersections or parking lots to perform stunts like burnouts, drifting and wheelies.  

In the first two quarters, CMPD responded to 25 organized street takeovers resulting in seven arrests and the seizures of 23 vehicles and six firearms.  

In response to the 2020 civil rights demonstrations after George Floyd’s murder, CMPD enacted the CMPD Serves program focused on a customer-oriented approach to policing and interactions. 

CMPD Sgt Jeffrey Joseph claims that, since the program’s inception, the number of use-of-force incidents, external complaints and officer-involved shootings have significantly decreased. He added that, according to a 2024 internal survey, 70% of CMPD employees felt the CMPD Serves trialing applied to their daily duties.

By the numbers

The below statistical breakdown provided by CMPD gives a snapshot of crime numbers by category through the end of June 2025 compared to last year’s mid-year report.

• Violent crimes: 2,760 offenses in 2025 compared to 3,688 offenses in 2024.
• Homicides: 42 in 2025 compared to 59 in 2024.
• Aggravated assaults: 2,110 in 2025 compared to 2,825 in 2024.
• Rapes: 81 in 2025 compared to 138 in 2024.
• Armed robberies: 306 in 2025 compared to 412 in 2024.
• Property crimes: 17,524 offenses in 2025 compared to 18,356 in 2024.
• Residential burglaries: 795 in 2025 compared to 869 in 2024.
• Commercial burglaries: 1,557 in 2025 compared to 1,144 in 2024.
• Larcenies from automobiles: 5,062 in 2025 compared to 4,931 in 2024.
• Vehicle thefts: 3,120 in 2025 compared to 4,013 in 2024.
• Arsons: 71 in 2025 compared to 81 in 2024.

Despite the overall crime rate reduction, specific areas such as burglaries and larcenies from automobiles have risen by a combined 10%. CMPD suggests individuals avoid victimization by locking their vehicles and securing valuables. 

CMPD’s crime reporting follows national standards set by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting summary stats.