RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond police reported sharp declines in violent crime during the first half of the year while also raising concerns about rising domestic violence, accidental shootings and shoplifting.
During a crime briefing, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said homicides and shootings specifically were at some of their lowest levels in more than a decade.
Police reported murders down 33% in comparison to the same period last year, while nonfatal shootings have dropped to 26%.
Commercial robberies have fallen to 55%, robberies involving individuals declined 28%, and rapes decreased 25%.
Richmond recorded 22 homicides at the midpoint of 2026
"I like to compare Richmond to Richmond in the past, and when you look at this number, 22,” Edwards said. “The 10-year average is 29, so this is the lowest number since 2015... really impressive.”
Edwards credited the decline to coordination between police, local agencies and community organizations.
“We work really diligently on avoiding that next shooting by stopping it in his tracks,” Edwards said. “We also worked very closely with other city departments and also the nonprofits in our city. There's so many good folks in our city that are doing work that are impacting this number. It is not the Richmond Police Department alone, it's everyone working together.”
Police highlighted Operation Safe Summer, an initiative lasting from May 22 to Sept. 8 with Virginia State Police and federal agencies to reduce crime within the city.
In the 44 days it has been in effect, the effort has resulted in 81 felony arrests, 39 misdemeanor arrests, 91 illegal firearms seized and 470 traffic summonses issued, according to police.
Despite the overall decline in violent crime, Edwards said aggravated domestic assaults doubled compared with last year, rising from 56 to 112.
Police attributed much of the increase to changes in state law and reporting standards that broadened how domestic violence incidents are categorized.
Edwards said new laws expanding the definition of intimate partner are expected to further increase reported cases.
Edwards said the department is working for the creation of a centralized resource hub for domestic violence victims in order to combat the increase.
“In partnership with the Commonwealth Attorney, I certainly am advocating for a Family Justice Center,” Edwards said. “We believe that's going to be the answer, the one-stop shop where members of our community can come to get services and take away the barriers they need to report domestic violence.”
Other Crime Briefing Headlines
Richmond police shared updates on two homicide investigations that resulted in arrests.
Kaishon Jackson, 24, of Henrico County, was charged in the June 24 killing of Stephen Jackson, while Tyon Hackett, 18, of Mechanicsville, was arrested in connection with the June 7 killing of Ricardo Jones.
The search for John Lee Pettaway IV of Chesterfield County, who is wanted in connection with the June 29 homicide of Charlemont Stokes, is still ongoing.
Police have asked the public for help and instructed either to call their local law enforcement or 911 if you see the individual.
Police also raised concerns about a growing number of accidental and self-inflicted shootings involving firearms.
Richmond recorded 26 accidental shootings at midyear, many linked to reckless handling of guns.
Edwards urged gun owners to practice safe firearm storage and handling, noting that the department has distributed 619 gun safes to residents since 2023.
The #1 Crime in Richmond
The department also addressed property crime trends, including a rise in shoplifting, which Edwards said has become Richmond’s most common reported crime.
He shares that more than half of those incidents occurred at Virginia ABC stores.
“Working together with those business leaders, hopefully, will turn the tide on this,” Edwards said. “We, as a police department, are not giving up. This is the number one crime in Richmond. A lot of people don't think it's the most important one, but it's something that we care about.”
Motor vehicle thefts declined 16%, and the number of guns stolen from vehicles dropped 17%, according to police.
Richmond police additionally reported a slight decline in traffic fatalities, with 10 deaths recorded so far this year compared with 11 during the same period last year.
Edwards ended the briefing by acknowledging ongoing staffing shortages within the department and encouraging residents to consider careers in law enforcement.
“We need more people to join the RPD,” Edwards said. “We're still maintaining our high standards, so one thing we're not doing is just accepting people because we're short, we still have the same standard. I just need the message to get out to people that this is still an honorable profession, and it's still needed more than ever."
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