FBI UCR Homicide Data — 20 recorded incidents
Grand Rapids has recorded homicide rates driven by the city's combination of a growing craft beer and technology economy alongside persistent poverty in the city's South Side and West Side neighborhoods. Michigan's relative geographic isolation from major drug trafficking corridors has shielded the city from some of the violence that has plagued Detroit and Flint, though the opioid crisis has hit Grand Rapids hard. The city's homicide unit has made progress with community policing initiatives, though homicide clearance rates remain below the national average. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Grand Rapids homicide tracker.
Grand Rapids, Michigan has recorded 20 homicides over the tracked period, with 24 victims identified.. The city ranks #251 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 35% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 7 of those incidents.
Firearms — predominantly firearm - handguns — account for 50% of homicides with weapon data, followed by firearm - type unknown, knife/cutting instrument, other weapon.
Grand Rapids's homicide rate is 74% below the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 8 cases remain under investigation. The primary reporting agency was Grand Rapids Police Department, which filed 20 incident reports. See also our Michigan state homicide data page for broader context. The Grand Rapids metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.