Rochester mayor touts drop in gun crime in State of the City address

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans announced a drop in gun crime during his State of the City address. According to the Rochester Police Department's data, there was one deadly shooting in the first quarter of 2026, compared to seven during the same period last year. Although the overall number of shooting victims increased slightly, it's still a significant reduction from pandemic peaks. Police Chief David Smith credited the New York State Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) program for the progress. The city has also implemented various initiatives, including affordable housing programs and youth employment opportunities. Evans declared a gun violence state of emergency in July 2022, which has been renewed every 30 days since then.