New Orleans has a reputation that precedes it. You’ve heard the nicknames. "The Murder Capital." "The Big Easy." It’s a city that wears its scars on its sleeve, and for a long time, the numbers backed up the dark headlines. But honestly, if you're looking for the answer to how many were killed in New Orleans lately, the answer might actually shock you—and not for the reason you think.
The data from 2025 is in. It tells a story of a city that is basically in the middle of a massive, hard-fought U-turn.
The Hard Numbers: How Many Were Killed in New Orleans in 2025?
In 2025, New Orleans saw 121 murders.
That is a staggering drop when you look at the recent past. To put it into perspective, just a few years ago in 2022, that number was sitting at a terrifying 266. We are talking about a 50% decrease in just three years.
But wait. There is a massive asterisk on that 2025 number.
The Bourbon Street Tragedy
On January 1, 2025, a vehicle-ramming terror attack on Bourbon Street killed 14 people. It was a localized nightmare that shook the city to its core. If you remove that single, outlier event from the statistics, the "traditional" homicide count for the year would have been 107.
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NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has been vocal about this. She noted during a January 2026 press conference that while these 14 victims are forever part of the city's grief, their inclusion in the data actually masks how much the "day-to-day" street violence has plummeted.
A History of Blood and Resilience
You can't talk about these numbers without looking at where we’ve been. New Orleans isn't just a city; it's a survivor.
The peak of the violence happened back in 1994 during the height of the crack epidemic. That year, 424 people were killed. The city was a different place then. Fast forward to 2005, and the "killing" wasn't just done by people.
Hurricane Katrina remains the deadliest event in modern New Orleans history.
- Total Katrina Deaths: 1,833 across the Gulf Coast.
- Louisiana Victims: 1,577, with the vast majority in New Orleans.
- The Aftermath: In 2006, the homicide rate surged to 77.7 per 100,000 residents as the city struggled to rebuild its social fabric.
Then came the "post-pandemic" spike. Like many American cities, New Orleans lost its grip in 2021 and 2022. It felt like the bad old days were back. But the 2025 stats show the city is now on pace for its lowest murder count since the early 1970s.
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Why is the Rate Falling So Fast?
It’s not just one thing. It's a "throw everything at the wall" approach that finally started sticking.
First, the NOPD actually started solving cases again. The homicide clearance rate—the percentage of cases where an arrest is made—jumped to a whopping 91% by mid-2025. In the world of policing, that is an insane number. Usually, you're lucky to see 50% in a major city.
The logic is simple: if people know they're probably going to get caught, they’re less likely to pull the trigger.
Then there’s the National Guard.
President Donald Trump ordered Guard troops to begin patrolling the French Quarter and other "hot spots" in late 2025. While local leaders like Mayor-elect Helena Moreno were initially skeptical, the visible presence of camo on Bourbon Street has changed the "vibe" for tourists, even if the data shows the crime drop actually started before they arrived.
Real People, Not Just Data
Behind every one of those 121 deaths is a family in the 7th Ward or New Orleans East that is missing someone at the dinner table.
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I think we get too caught up in "per capita" rankings. "Oh, we aren't #1 anymore! We're #4!" Big deal. If it's your brother or your kid, the ranking doesn't matter.
The good news? Juvenile homicide victims—kids—dropped by over 70% in 2025. That is the real win. Targeted youth intervention and specialized policing for at-risk minors actually saved lives this year.
What This Means for You
If you’re planning a trip to Jazz Fest or Mardi Gras, you’re looking at a city that is technically safer than it has been in decades.
But "safe" is relative.
New Orleans is still a city. You still don't want to be wandering four blocks off the beaten path in the middle of the night with a $1,000 phone in your hand. The "property crime" is still a headache, even if the "person crime" is down.
Actionable Steps for Staying Safe:
- Stick to the Corridors: The French Quarter, CBD, and Garden District have the highest concentrations of the new security tech and patrols.
- Use the Tech: The NOPD uses "SafeCam NOLA." Look for businesses with the camera decals; they feed directly to the Real-Time Crime Center.
- Mind the "Event" Crowds: Most violence in 2025 happened in late-night clusters. If a crowd starts feeling "tense" or unpredictable, just head back to the hotel. It's not worth the risk.
The city is changing. It's not the "Murder Capital" anymore. It's just a city trying to find its way back to being "The Big Easy."
To keep track of the most recent updates, you should check the NOPD News portal or the City of New Orleans Crime Dashboard. These tools provide weekly updates on every incident reported citywide, allowing you to see exactly what is happening in specific neighborhoods before you book your stay.