Violent crime in New Orleans has fallen to its lowest level since the 1960s, and already, the first half of 2026 has extended the dramatic drop in homicides and shootings.
NOPD recorded 38 murders through June 25, representing one of the lowest year-to-date totals the city has seen in decades. If that pace holds, New Orleans will finish 2026 with about 78 murders, nearly matching the 76 recorded in 1969.
“We’ve seen a remarkable decline, and it’s the kind of thing we should be talking about,” said Jeff Asher, cofounder of AH Datalytics, who recently retooled the city’s public safety dashboards. “We are reaching 50-, 60-year lows now.”…