Overall crime in Richmond reaches record low, according to police report

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Overall violent crime, murder and other crimes decreased in Richmond in 2025 during RPD's Safe Summer initiative, according to data from the Richmond Police Department (RPD).

Operation Safe Summer was conducted from May 31 to Sept. 6 and was part of an initiative started by Richmond Police to ensure a safer Richmond through the summer months.

Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards hosted the department's Third Quarter Crime Briefing and Operational Safe Summer Review on Oct. 8, during which he discussed recent crime statistics.

Overall violent crime

According to Edwards, overall violent crime between May 31 to Sept. 6 decreased by 15% from 2020-2025, with a slight increase in 2025, with 305 reports compared to 302 in 2024.

In the report, the department found that to date, Richmond saw the lowest numbers of non-fatal shootings in the year 2025, with Police Chief Edwards calling it a "historic low, and the story of the summer."

In 2013, RPD reportedly saw a yearly total of 1,309 violent crimes reported in the area compared to a historic low of 965 in 2024.

Incidents of persons shot

Incidents of non-deadly shootings are reportedly down 16% from last year's Operation Safe Summer months, with cases of murder and non-fatal shootings between Operation Safe Summer months down 43% from 2022.

Per the report, although non-deadly shootings dropped from last year by 16%, incidents of accidental shootings increased by 26% from 2024 to 2025.

In 2025, police saw 58 reported incidents to date compared to 101 incidents in 2022, according to reports.

Reported domestic violence incidents

In 2025, Richmond saw an increase in aggravated domestic assaults, or instances of reported domestic violence, by 89%, with 115 reported cases in 2025 compared to 61 in 2024. The recent uptick in reports comes after RPD changed its incident-based reporting.

Richmond Police have made recent changes to its incident-based reporting and how it classifies domestic assault involving choking or grabbing of the neck as aggravated assaults as opposed to simple assaults.

According to the department, the change comes after state laws recognize strangulation as a potentially lethal act even when there is no visible injury.

Narcotics

During the Operation Safe Summer months, police reportedly seized over 3,550 total grams of narcotics, 45 pounds of marijuana and over $90,000 in cash.

Commercial Robberies

In 2025, commercial robberies saw an increase of 14% compared to last year, with 34% of those robberies occurring at vape shops and 88% of those vape shop robberies involving the brandishing of a firearm.

In total, this year, the department said it has seized 75 pounds of marijuana and THC-related products along with 10 firearms.

"RPD continues to deal with criminal activity stemming from 'vape shops' and the illegals sale of marijuana and other THC products," the department said in the report.

Total burglaries, shoplifting, theft from a motor vehicle, motor vehicle theft, and theft of motor vehicle parts were all down in 2025, except for arson, with a 9% increase, according to police.