FBI UCR Homicide Data — 112 recorded incidents
Cleveland has consistently ranked among America's most dangerous large cities, with a homicide rate that has climbed sharply since the 2020 pandemic period and shows few signs of abating. The violence is concentrated on the city's East Side — including neighborhoods like Glenville, Lee-Miles, and Union-Miles — where poverty, lead poisoning from aging housing stock, and inadequate policing have created conditions for persistent lethal violence. Ohio's permitless carry law has contributed to the proliferation of firearms in a city where gun-related homicides account for the vast majority of killings. Cleveland made national headlines with the 2019 murder of a young mother whose dismembered body was found in suitcases along a highway, and the 2023 killing of a 7-year-old girl by a stray bullet inside her home. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Cleveland homicide tracker.
Cleveland, Ohio has recorded 112 homicides over the tracked period, with 141 victims identified. Tracking continues through 2026. The city ranks #19 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 15% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 17 of those incidents.
The weapon mix skews toward firearm - handguns (roughly 40% 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 August 2022, with 13 homicides logged.
Cleveland's homicide rate is near the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 59 cases remain under investigation. Reporting is dominated by Bay Village Police Department, which filed 88 incident reports. For broader statewide context, see our Ohio state homicide data page. The Cleveland metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.