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Baltimore Police Revise Homicide Counts to Match FBI Reporting Rules

The department says the change aligns its data with federal standards to strengthen public trust.

Overview

  • Baltimore Police removed four historical cases from the 2025 tally after a data review, lowering the year-to-date total from 127 to 124.
  • Under the updated method, cases are counted in the year the injury occurred rather than the year of death, in line with FBI NIBRS guidance.
  • The reclassification applies to cases reported since the 2021 transition to NIBRS and slightly reduces prior-year totals, with last year now listed as 194 instead of 197.
  • The department said it consulted with the FBI and Maryland State Police after receiving updated guidance in October and has adjusted its reporting practices.
  • Officials cited Gregory Johnson’s case as an example, moving his 2025 death from a 2017 shooting to the 2017 count, and local reporting indicates the revised trajectory could produce one of the lowest annual totals since 1970.