FBI UCR Homicide Data — 86 recorded incidents
Buffalo has experienced a surge in homicides tied to gun violence and inter-personal conflict in the city's East Side and parts of the Near East Side, where concentrated poverty and limited economic mobility have created conditions for persistent violent crime. New York's stricter gun laws have been cited as a factor in the city's relatively lower firearm homicide rate compared to other major cities, though the overall homicide rate has still climbed. The city gained national attention with the 2022 killing of 60-year-old security guard Russell T. by an 18-year-old at a Buffalo supermarket — a case that prosecutors described as a hate crime. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Buffalo homicide tracker.
Buffalo, New York has recorded 86 homicides over the tracked period, with 100 victims identified. Tracking continues through 2026. The city ranks #24 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 28% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 24 of those incidents.
The weapon mix skews toward firearm - handguns (roughly 45% of cases with weapon data), with firearm - type unknown, knife/cutting instrument as the next-most-frequent categories. The single deadliest month on record was June 2022, with 11 homicides logged.
Buffalo's homicide rate is near the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 39 cases remain under investigation. Reporting is dominated by Buffalo Police Department, which filed 75 incident reports. For broader statewide context, see our New York state homicide data page. The Buffalo metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.