FBI UCR Homicide Data — 139 recorded incidents
Atlanta has seen its homicide rate climb dramatically in recent years, with the city recording its highest murder counts in decades as of 2023 — a surge that has challenged the city's reputation as a booming, progressive metropolis. The violence has been concentrated in south and southwest Atlanta neighborhoods like Grove Park, Adamsville, and the perimeter of downtown, where gang activity, opioid and fentanyl distribution, and a surge in carjackings linked to firearms have created a persistent homicide problem. The 2021 murder of 25-year-old tech worker Lateka Douglas in Atlanta's Midtown drew national attention to the city's rising violent crime rate. Beyond street crime, Atlanta has a dark serial history: the Atlanta child murders of 1979–1981 — a still-unsolved string of killings that killed at least 28 Black children and young men — remains one of America's most infamous unsolved murder series. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Atlanta homicide tracker.
Atlanta, Georgia has recorded 139 homicides over the tracked period, with 166 victims identified.. The city ranks #15 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 20% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 28 of those incidents.
Firearms — predominantly firearm - handguns — account for 43% of homicides with weapon data, followed by firearm - type unknown, other weapon, knife/cutting instrument. The highest single month on record was September 2022, with 14 homicides.
Atlanta's homicide rate is 81% above the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 65 cases remain under investigation. The primary reporting agency was Atlanta Police Department, which filed 110 incident reports. See also our Georgia state homicide data page for broader context. The Atlanta metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.