FBI UCR Homicide Data — 54 recorded incidents
Fresno has one of the highest homicide rates among California cities, driven by gang activity in the city's Southwest and Southeast neighborhoods where rival拳手 gangs and drug trafficking networks have created persistent cycles of lethal conflict. California's Central Valley has seen an influx of methamphetamine from Mexico, and Fresno's position as a major agricultural hub has created an economy where drug money has thoroughly penetrated local industries. The city's homicide unit has struggled with staffing shortages, and clearance rates have fallen below 50%. Fresno gained national attention with the 2023 murder of a 15-year-old boy shot on his way to school. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Fresno homicide tracker.
Fresno, California has recorded 54 homicides over the tracked period, with 63 victims identified. Tracking continues through 2026. The city ranks #86 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 13% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 7 of those incidents.
The weapon mix skews toward firearm - handguns (roughly 41% of cases with weapon data), with knife/cutting instrument, firearm - type unknown as the next-most-frequent categories. The single deadliest month on record was August 2022, with 8 homicides logged.
Fresno's homicide rate is near the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 23 cases remain under investigation. Reporting is dominated by Clovis Police Department, which filed 44 incident reports. For broader statewide context, see our California state homicide data page. The Fresno metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.