- Gainesville’s 2026 first-quarter homicides doubled to six from three in 2025, with two major violent days accounting for most deaths.
- Police Chief Moya added a detective to focus on domestic violence, with 100 cases closed in Q1 and expectations of more as victims come forward.
- Gainesville saw a 5.4% rise in violent crime in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025, excluding violent incidents on Mother’s Day.
Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya said Thursday the city has seen a recent wave of violence that he wanted to discuss with the City Commission during a quarterly report on the department’s numbers from January through March.
That wave has doubled the city’s 2026 homicide numbers compared to the same timeframe in 2025—three to six.
Homicides in recent years peaked in 2023 at 10 before dropping to 8 and then three homicides last year…