San Francisco has experienced a significant surge in homicides this year, a troubling anomaly amid a historic nationwide decrease in murder rates.
Notably, this iconic city, renowned for its Golden Gate views, is one of only eight large urban areas to report a rise in homicides during the initial six months of 2026, according to data from the Council on Criminal Justice.
San Francisco’s murder rate jumped by a staggering 55% in the first half of the year compared to 2025, surpassed only by Norfolk, Virginia, which experienced an even greater increase of 64%.
These alarming statistics come in stark contrast to a broader national trend; last year, the United States recorded its sharpest year-over-year decline in homicides on record, with a drop of 20% since 2024, potentially marking the lowest murder rates since the year 1900.
On average, homicide rates fell by 18% during the first six months of the year across 21 of the 30 major cities evaluated by the Washington DC-based nonprofit organization, creating a puzzling divergence for San Francisco.
San Francisco police, however, have disputed the figures — stating that there have been 16 homicides so far this year compared to 12 during the same period last year, a spokesperson told CBS News.
The majority of the 16 killings involved firearms, according to police data.
Police noted that the city ended last year with its lowest homicide rate in 70 years.
“We recognize that homicides have increased slightly this year compared to last year. Even one homicide is one too many, and the SFPD will continue to make these crimes our top priority,” a police spokesperson said.
Police data has shown so far that all other categories of crime have gone down this year, from property crimes to vehicle thefts.
Yet homicides have remained stubbornly higher in 2026, with most occurring during the first three months of the year.
The uptick has largely been seen in the SFPD’s Southern District, which includes the Embarcadero, Mission Bay and Treasure Island, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The area has recorded six homicides so far this year compared to none last year.
Police Chief Derrick Lew said at a recent meeting that new homicides are harder to tackle because they “are more one-off in nature,” unlike gang-related killings, for example.