Three fatal shootings in October nearly doubled Peoria’s year-to-date total of gunshot homicides, but the number is still down by more than half compared with a year ago.
Figures released this week by the Peoria Police Department show seven shooting murders so far in 2025 — up from four at the end of September. The city had 15 shooting deaths by the end of October last year.
Prior to the three October homicides, Peoria hadn’t had any murders since July 1 and were no fatal shootings since June 20.
Total homicides for this year stand at 11, down from 18 at this point in 2024. That continues a four-year downward trend — from 33 killings by the end of October in 2021, with 27 of those by gunshot.
The department’s latest year-to-date figures show a 16% drop in the number of gunshot victims, from 79 to 66. Total shooting incidents fell from 68 to 58, and nearly 1,000 fewer rounds fired have been recorded.
Police say they’ve recovered nearly 340 weapons, with 50 of those reported as stolen.
