South Bend has seen a significant decline in violent crime, particularly gun violence and homicides, from 2023 to 2024. The city's gun violence incidents dropped from just under 800 in 2023 to fewer than 650 in 2024, marking a notable improvement. The number of murders also decreased dramatically, with just 7 recorded in 2024, compared to 23 the previous year.
Mayor James Mueller expressed optimism about the reduction in violent crime, noting that mid-sized and larger cities often experience higher rates of violence than the national average. "This gets us close to the national average," Mueller said.
Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski also celebrated the progress, though he emphasized the department’s continued commitment to reducing violence further. "If I seem a little excited and celebratory, I am… analytically. But it’s above zero. I know this is cliché coming from me, but it is. It’s above zero. We want zero," Ruszkowski said.
Mueller added that the city’s focus on addressing gun violence has been a key factor in the decline. "We focus a lot on gun violence because that’s a big focus area. If you look at homicides, there are other ways to kill people other than a gun. But the murder rate we talked about was all inclusive," Mueller explained.
The drop in violent crime in South Bend marks the lowest rates since 2010, and the second-lowest in the past 25 years, signaling a positive shift for the city.
