Worcester police: shootings, homicides down from last year, stabbings slightly up
During the first half of 2025, Worcester has seen a decrease in reported homicides and non-fatal shootings compared to the first half of 2024, according to the Worcester Police Department.
The department released the crime statistics from Jan. 1 to June 30 on Friday. The report found that there have been two reported homicides in the city in 2025 so far, a drop from seven reported homicides at the same point in 2024.
The two homicides in 2025 were caused by guns, according to the report.
The number of non-fatal shootings also dropped from 10 to eight over the same period, the report reads. There was also a drop in reported non-fatal shooting victims from 12 to nine during that time frame, according to the report.
The number of stabbings and slashings, however, rose, with 34 so far in 2025, up from 27 at the same point in 2024.
These numbers are below the five-year average of reporting stabbings and slashings, which is 38.
"The men and women of the Worcester Police Department are out interacting with citizens each and every day," city Police Chief Paul Saucier said in a statement.
"Patrol-initiated incidents are up about 54% since COVID, so our foot patrols are making a real difference in the community. As always, there is work to do, but rest assured that we are out there working to protect and serve our citizens," Saucier said.
In terms of other crimes, the number of reported robberies, reported gunshots, breaking-and-enterings, motor vehicle thefts, motor vehicle larcenies and vandalisms has all dropped in the first half of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024.
There were 71 total reported robberies so far in 2025, down from 94 in from the same point in 2024. In terms of reported gunshots, there have been 194 so far in 2025, down from 270 at the same point in 2024.
There have been 197 breaking-and-entering reports (down from 313 the same time last year), 206 reported motor vehicle thefts (down from 228), 377 reported motor vehicle larcenies (down from 382) and 451 reported vandalisms (down from 623) so far this year.
Reports of noise disturbances dropped from 2,257 during the first half of 2024 to 1,944 to the first half of 2025, while traffic accidents dipped slightly from 4,161 reports to 4,100.
The number of disorderly conduct reports, however, increased from 9,264 in the first half of 2024 to 10,136 in the first half of 2025, according to the report.
There has also been an increase in reported arrests this year, according to the report.
So far, there have been 1,780 arrests in 2025, up from 1,575 arrests at the same point in 2024. The number of arrests in 2025 is also higher than the five-year average of 1,397.
You can look at the full report here .
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