By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

MURDERS are down by about 28 percent so far this year, with 64 killings recorded compared to 89 by the same point in 2024, according to Tribune records.

At the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s mid-year crime briefing in July, Commissioner Shanta Knowles reported a 27 percent decline in murders for the first half of 2025, 44 compared to 60 in the same period of 2024. She said the overall major crime index fell 14 percent, with reductions recorded in New Providence, Grand Bahama, and the Family Islands.

She added that police had seized 196 firearms and more than 8,300 rounds of ammunition by mid-year. She reported a 64 percent case solvency rate and said 84 percent of murder victims were aged 18 to 45.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, speaking earlier this year, noted that while crime overall was trending down, murder remained a serious concern. He pointed out that around 90 percent of killings involve firearms and stressed the need for continued enforcement alongside broader social measures.

Police statistics also showed that in the first half of 2025, most killings were caused by shootings, followed by stabbings and a small number of fire-related deaths. Victims were overwhelmingly male, and some were on bail or being electronically monitored at the time of their deaths.

Despite the decline compared to 2024, officials have highlighted the persistence of familiar patterns in violent crime and the importance of maintaining pressure on illegal firearms and repeat offenders.