Chicago Illinois

Chicago's homicide epidemic has made it the national benchmark for urban violence. The city's South and West sides — neighborhoods like Englewood, Austin, and Humboldt Park — have recorded homicide rates that dwarf any other American city in raw numbers, driven by a combination of gang fragmentation, economic disinvestment, and a historically strained relationship between CPD and the communities it serves. Chicago also gained notoriety as the birthplace of serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr., who used his suburban Normal, Illinois home and a crawlspace beneath to conceal the bodies of 33 young men between 1972 and 1978. More recently, the city has grappled with the fallout of high-profile cases like the murder of 8-year-old Antonio Moore in 2023, underscoring how children remain disproportionately vulnerable to the city's wave of gun violence. The Murder Channel tracks Chicago homicides through FBI UCR data, providing real-time context for a city that has become synonymous with America's ongoing struggle with violent crime.

Chicago, Illinois has recorded 1,364 homicides over the tracked period, with 1,505 victims identified. Chicago recorded 365 homicides in 2026, 14% increased from 319 in 2025. The city ranks #2 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 9% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 118 of those incidents.

Firearms — predominantly firearm - handguns — account for 43% of homicides with weapon data, followed by firearm - type unknown, knife/cutting instrument. The highest single month on record was March 2026, with 87 homicides.

Chicago's homicide rate is 1676% above the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 957 cases remain under investigation. The primary reporting agency was Chicago Police Department, which filed 1229 incident reports. See also our Illinois state homicide data page for broader context. The Chicago metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.