Crime in the City
◾ Grandview Independent's ‘What Happened in Richmond’ weekly crime roundup is currently unavailable due to the city’s Daily Incident Log not having been updated since November 29.
Property and violent crime increased sharply in Richmond during November compared with October, according to a crime report prepared for the City Council and on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting.
However, police officials said year-to-date crime totals remain lower than last year.
The Richmond Police Department reported a 58 percent increase in total crime from October to November. Violent crime rose 61 percent, from 74 incidents to 119, while property crime increased 57 percent, from 145 incidents to 227, according to the November 2025 crime report.
Violent crime increases included two homicides in November, compared with none in October. Aggravated assaults rose from 53 to 80 incidents, robberies increased from 10 to 16 incidents, and sexual assaults rose from 11 to 21 incidents, the report states.
Property crime, driven by vehicle thefts, increased from 55 incidents in October to 103 in November. Burglaries, excluding auto burglaries, increased from 23 to 39 incidents, and thefts, including auto burglaries, rose from 66 to 82 incidents. Arson also increased from one incident in October to three in November.
Richmond Police Captain John Lopez, who oversees the department’s patrol bureau, told the Community Police Review Commission this month that while November saw a significant month-to-month increase, overall crime totals for the year remain lower than in 2024.
“Year to date, January through November of 2025, violent crime is down 17 percent citywide compared to the same period in 2024,” Lopez said. “Property crime is also down 18 percent year to date compared to last year.”
Lopez said the department has recorded four homicides so far in 2025. All four cases remain open and under investigation. Three of the homicides occurred in the Central District, and one occurred in the Southern District.
Police investigate fatal shooting near Carlson Boulevard and Potrero Avenue
A man was shot and killed Saturday night, and police are investigating whether a second person, who later arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound, was injured in the same incident, authorities said. The Richmond Police Department Communications Center received multiple reports of shots fired in the area of
Soren Hemmila
Richmond police seek help identifying person of interest in fatal Bissell Avenue shooting
Richmond police are asking for the public’s help identifying a person of interest after a 23-year-old man was shot and killed last month. Officers responded around 5:55 a.m. on November 17 after a ShotSpotter activation and multiple 911 calls reported gunfire in the 1400 block of Bissell
Soren Hemmila
Gunfire activity increased in November compared with October, Lopez said. The department recorded 17 shooting incidents in November, compared with 16 in October. ShotSpotter activations rose from 29 in October to 34 in November, and calls from the public reporting shots fired increased from 12 to 16.
Lopez told commissioners that both homicides reported in November were detected by the ShotSpotter system.
Despite the rise in reported crime, calls for service declined in all six police districts in November, according to the police report. District-level decreases ranged from 1 percent to 18 percent.
The department also reported that 21 firearms were recovered in November, up from 10 the previous month.
The police report noted staffing shortages within the department, reporting 22 sworn vacancies and 17 professional staff vacancies. Richmond remains authorized for 147 sworn officer positions, with 125 currently filled, including officers in or awaiting police academy training.
YOU GET MORE WITH A PAID SUBSCRIPTION
Your subscription enables Grandview Independent to deliver more:
- More time devoted to in-depth reporting
- Longer, more comprehensive stories
- Greater coverage of what matters to our community
- Eat more burritos
Quality journalism costs money. Subscriptions allow us to keep reporting the stories that matter, without paywalls getting in the way of critical community information.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE - Starting at just $10/month
FOLLOW US FOR BREAKING NEWS:
• Twitter: @GrandviewIndy
• Instagram: @GrandviewIndependent
• Facebook: @Grandview Independent
Copyright © 2025 Grandview Independent, all rights reserved.
Members Discussion