Public Safety

Gainesville homicide count already surpasses all of last year after two weekend killings

Mayor Harvey Ward addressed public safety concerns after two separate homicides last weekend — a shooting on Northwest 6th Street and a stabbing on Northwest Third Street — pushed the city’s 2026 homicide total to at least five, already exceeding the full-year count for 2025. Ward acknowledged that violent crime remains a daily focus for city leadership, while also noting that gun violence has been declining and that many recent violent incidents occurred inside residences. Both cases remain unsolved.

Sources: WCJB TV20