Newark New Jersey

Newark, New Jersey's largest city, has one of the highest homicide rates in the Northeast, driven by gang activity and drug trafficking in the city's West and South sides. New Jersey's restrictive gun laws have not prevented firearms from flooding into Newark from surrounding states, where straw purchasing and trafficking networks have made guns highly accessible. The city gained national attention with the 2023 arrest of a man connected to a string of murders in the city's Ironbound district. Newark's police department, which operated for years under a federal consent decree, has made modest progress on reducing violent crime but remains challenged by the volume of homicide cases. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Newark homicide tracker.

Newark, New Jersey has recorded 12 homicides over the tracked period, with 13 victims identified. Tracking continues through 2026. The city ranks #332 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 17% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 2 of those incidents.

Detailed weapon and circumstance data continues to be analyzed by local law enforcement agencies.

Newark's homicide rate is 87% below the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 2 cases remain under investigation. For broader statewide context, see our New Jersey state homicide data page. The Newark metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.