BUFFALO, N.Y. — New data from the Buffalo Police Department shows homicide numbers in Buffalo are decreasing – a 44% reduction in homicides and 37% reduction in non-fatal shootings from 2022 to 2023.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia shared that the city had 83 less shooting victims in 2023, and that homicides from gun violence are down 57%.
“It all starts with gun violence reduction, you bring down your shootings, homicides, shots fired, it gives us more time to concentrate on the other things,” Gramaglia said.
After word of this new data, we asked some local community leaders why they feel those numbers dropped.
“I think the city has really come together because of the things that have happened to us from the racist attack at Tops to the blizzard last year,” said Anthony Pierce with Wakanda Alliance. “I feel it got people to unify a lot more.”
In addition to the drop in violence numbers, Buffalo Police shared that their percentage of solved homicides for the year made a large jump to 64% this year.
Gramaglia believes a major reason for this downward trend is because of their "micro-hotspot" crime plan he started last year.
This plan targets police to patrol specific areas prone to violence based on real-time data.
“It was effective last year, and we kept building on that,” Gramaglia. “You have to have that community buy in as well.”
He feels another major reason for the decrease is the number of groups investing in our local communities.
Carlanda Meadors is one of many people who works with a few of those groups like Most Valuable Parents.
“You spread peace and love and you will see changes in the data as it relates to violence in our community,” Meadors said. “Everyone being in solidarity is what is making our community a safer place.”
And leaders in other groups like Pierce, with the Wakanda Alliance, couldn’t agree more.
“As small of a city that we are, we have a neighborhood feel,” Pierce said. “No matter how many ways they try to hold us back, we find 100 ways to fight back and bring our people up.”
People of all ages are joining these groups and community centers.
Executive Director of the Delevan-Grider Center Candace Moppins shared that their attendance numbers have increased.
She has seen around 2,000 guests just this December.
“I think they value being able to come to a place where they feel safe,” Moppins said. “Community centers like this and others are the lifeline to keeping our young people busy and out of trouble.”
A few of the young adults just love what these centers have to offer.
“They have many programs, like I am a member here,” said 11-year-old Alaya McClure.
“It gives students something to do in a safe environment, so they aren’t subjecting themselves to dangerous situations,” said 20-year-old Nydaya Green.
With all this working for the City of Buffalo, the police commissioner feels the goal for 2024 should remain just as it was this year.
“What I want in 2024, is [these violence rates] to be lower than this year and what I want In 2025 is to be lower than that again,” Gramaglia said.
