FBI UCR Homicide Data — 401 recorded incidents
Los Angeles has long grappled with the duality of its reputation — a global entertainment capital hiding profound violence in its most marginalized communities. South Central LA, Compton, and neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley have recorded concentrated homicide clusters driven by gang territory disputes and the proliferation of firearms. LAPD's crime statistics reflect a city where homicide clearance rates have historically trailed national averages, leaving thousands of families without closure. The city also has a dark history with serial predators: the hills of the Santa Clarita Valley became the hunting ground for the Golden State Killer between 1976 and 1986, though he was ultimately tied to those crimes through DNA in 2018. More recently, the murder of actress Mosche Ari in 2022 brought national attention to domestic violence as a leading cause of LA homicides. The Murder Channel pulls FBI UCR data to track Los Angeles homicide trends, connecting raw statistics to the human stories behind each incident.
Los Angeles, California has recorded 401 homicides over the tracked period, with 483 victims identified.. The city ranks #6 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 19% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 76 of those incidents.
Firearms — predominantly firearm - handguns — account for 40% of homicides with weapon data, followed by firearm - type unknown, knife/cutting instrument. The highest single month on record was April 2022, with 37 homicides.
Los Angeles's homicide rate is 422% above the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 198 cases remain under investigation. The primary reporting agency was Los Angeles Police Department, which filed 350 incident reports. See also our California state homicide data page for broader context. The Los Angeles metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.