Columbus named national leader in gun violence reduction

Columbus has been ranked fifth among large U.S. cities for reductions in gun victimization between 2021 and 2025, according to a new report by the Center for American Progress highlighted this spring by city officials.

In an April 7 report titled “What City Leaders Say Is Helping Drive Down Gun Violence in Their Communities,” the Center for American Progress found that gun victimization in Columbus decreased 63.5 percent from 2021 to 2025. The city, citing the report, says gun victimization has fallen 56.5 percent since the Office of Violence Prevention was established in 2023.

The city’s press release notes that while gun violence has declined nationally since the height of the pandemic, Columbus’ decline was “particularly strong” among large cities, placing it fifth in the national ranking. The Office of Violence Prevention is described in city materials as a coordinating hub for community-based interventions, focused on non-police strategies that aim to reduce shootings and support residents in neighborhoods most affected by violence.

Columbus has coupled the office’s work with changes to police operations, including making the Division of Police’s Non-Fatal Shooting Team pilot permanent in Zone 6 and planning to expand it to another patrol zone in 2026, according to a separate city announcement. The non-fatal shooting team is designed to focus investigative resources on non-fatal incidents that can signal patterns and retaliation risks.

City leaders have also promoted gun buyback events as part of the city’s violence reduction strategy. In a previous release, the Office of Violence Prevention and the Division of Police announced a drive-thru gun buyback event held Sept. 30, offering residents an opportunity to surrender firearms for compensation. Officials linked that initiative to a broader comprehensive safety strategy they say reduced violence in 2022.

The Center for American Progress report credits multi-layered local strategies, including community-based programs and targeted policing, as key factors in cities showing steep declines in gun victimization. Columbus’ release aligns with that framing, tying its data to investments in violence prevention, youth programming and neighborhood-focused safety initiatives.

City materials caution that the decline in gun victimization does not eliminate the need for continued investment and coordination, noting that the Office of Violence Prevention and its partners are expected to keep adjusting strategies as conditions change. The release does not break down gun victimization reductions by neighborhood or demographic group, and detailed incident-level data are not included in the summary provided by the city.

Columbus officials have not yet released a standalone public report synthesizing all contributing factors to the 63.5 percent decline, instead pointing to the Center for American Progress analysis and to ongoing program descriptions as the primary sources of information.