The Knoxville Police Department has released its preliminary 2025 priority crime report, which is highlighted by double-digit reductions in murders, non-fatal shootings and other crime categories.

“I am proud of the relentless and focused effort of our officers and staff at every level of our organization for their resolve to drive down crime,” Chief Paul Noel said. “Knoxville is safer because of the dedication and attention to detail of the men and women of our department, the sizeable contributions of our many partners and the City’s collective commitment to public safety.”

Murders decreased 26 percent, dropping from 23 in 2024 to 17 in 2025.  The 17 murders represent the lowest total in Knoxville since 2016. Non-fatal shootings dropped 27 percent in 2025, which follows a 45-percent reduction in non-fatal shootings in 2024.

“Public safety has always been job #1 for my administration, and these numbers prove we are moving in the right direction,“ said Mayor Indya Kincannon. “Thank you to Chief Paul Noel, the entire team at KPD, and to our Office of Community Safety and Empowerment for constantly looking for ways to make our neighborhoods safer.”

Knoxville also saw a 27-percent reduction in reported robberies and a 22-percent reduction in motor vehicle thefts. Car burglaries were also down slightly, dropping one percent from 2024.

Knoxville did see slight increases in reported assaults, including a two-percent increase in aggravated assaults from 2024. Of those aggravated assaults, 46 percent were believed to be domestic in nature compared to 40 percent of the aggravated assaults in 2024.

The complete 2025 priority crime report can be found here. The 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.