
Baltimore bloodshed drops as law-and-order push targets repeat criminals
Fox News
Baltimore homicides dropped to 134 in 2025 from 202 in 2024, according to State's Attorney Ivan Bates, who credits aggressive prosecution of repeat violent offenders.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a U.S. Writer at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X @s_rumpfwhitten
"You know, when I came into this office, we'd had eight consecutive years of 300 plus murders," Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates told Fox News Digital. "The only way you're going to focus on violent crime in Baltimore City is you must put repeat violent offenders in prison."
"When we were sworn in, we said, ‘If you’re a repeat violent offender, bring a toothbrush.’ That was the message we sent – meaning we’re going to send you to jail," he said.













