Arizona's violent crime numbers for the first half of 2026 tell a complicated story: overall crime is up slightly, but homicides have dropped sharply compared to the same period last year.
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Data from Arizona's Department of Public Safety shows 13,670 violent crimes were reported from January through June, up from 13,554 during the same stretch last year — a roughly 1% increase. That rise is in line with what Arizona typically sees in the first half of the year. The peak was 2022, when 15,902 violent crimes were recorded over the same period.
Breaking the numbers down by category reveals a more nuanced picture.
Criminal homicide is down 27%, falling from 230 cases last year to 156 this year. Robberies are also down 3%. However, assaults — both physical and sexual — are up more than 4%.
At the city level, Surprise stands out among departments reporting more than 100 violent crimes, with a 44% increase so far this year. Buckeye and Phoenix are also up, though only by single digits. On the other end of the spectrum, Glendale and Peoria are both seeing double-digit declines.
These numbers are preliminary and can change before they are reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting database.
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