FBI UCR Homicide Data — 14 recorded incidents
Knoxville has recorded homicide rates driven by the city's combination of Appalachian poverty, the opioid crisis, and gang activity that has emerged as methamphetamine has replaced prescription opioids as the drug of choice in East Tennessee. The city's homicide geography is concentrated in the East Knoxville and Karns neighborhoods, where poverty and limited social services have created conditions for persistent violent crime. Tennessee's permitless carry law has been cited by Knoxville prosecutors in connection with several recent firearm-related homicide cases. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Knoxville homicide tracker.
Knoxville, Tennessee has recorded 14 homicides over the tracked period, with 15 victims identified.. The city ranks #312 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 14% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 2 of those incidents.
Firearms — predominantly firearm - handguns — account for 57% of homicides with weapon data, followed by firearm - type unknown.
Knoxville's homicide rate is 82% below the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 7 cases remain under investigation. The primary reporting agency was Knoxville Police Department, which filed 14 incident reports. See also our Tennessee state homicide data page for broader context. The Knoxville metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.