The Knoxville Police Department has released the preliminary 2024 priority crime report, which is highlighted by a citywide decline in murders and a significant decrease in non-fatal shootings.

“I am extremely proud of the tireless efforts of our officers throughout 2024,” Chief of Police Paul Noel said. “They were relentless in their commitment to work with residents to make our community safer and remove violent individuals from the street. The teamwork and attention to detail at all layers of the department made a difference.”

“Public safety is job #1, and these numbers prove our efforts are paying off,” said Mayor Indya Kincannon. “Every crime prevented represents a life spared from pain and anguish, and restores peace of mind for the people of Knoxville.”

The total number of non-fatal shooting victims was down 45 percent in Knoxville, dropping from 77 in 2023 to 42 in 2024. That is also nearly 50 percent down from the five-year historical average.

Notably, there was also one less murder in Knoxville in 2024, dropping from 24 in 2023 to 23 in 2024. That number is eight below the five-year historical average. That decrease also includes a 27-percent reduction in murders in the KPD’s East District, where murders dropped from 24 in 2022 to 8 in 2024.

In other violent crime categories, aggravated assaults were down two percent from the 2023 total, while robberies increased three percent – an increase of five total reported robberies.

There was also a double-digit decrease in three separate priority property crime categories, including a 22-percent drop in reported car burglaries, a 15-percent drop in burglary or breaking and entering reports, and a 12-percent drop in motor vehicle theft reports.

The complete year-end summary can be found here. The unofficial data is preliminary in nature and has not yet been audited by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is standard procedure for all Tennessee law enforcement agencies.