Police chief says Raleigh is safe but recent rash of violence ‘not acceptable’
Despite several shootings and a downtown stabbing incident in recent weeks, Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce began a Tuesday press briefing by saying “Raleigh is a safe city.”
The department’s crime data from January to March show a drop from 11 homicides in the first three months of 2025 to just four in 2026. Commercial burglaries and motor-vehicle thefts fell by 26% and 14% respectively.
But that data did not include several high-profile incidents in Raleigh in April — a Friday shooting at Triangle Town Center that left three people injured, a Saturday shooting at a southeast Raleigh apartment complex that killed a man and an April 11 stabbing on Fayetteville Street that left several people injured.
“This recent cluster of violence threatens the perception of safety of our residents, our visitors and the overall sense of security in our community,” Boyce said.
Flanking Boyce at the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center on Tuesday morning were 15 people from several state and county public-safety agencies. Boyce said his department is working to strengthen partnerships to fight crime in the capital city.
Boyce gave few details on the incidents, citing the active investigations, but he said police have identified suspects in the Triangle Town Center shooting and he trusted that “we’ll be seeing someone in custody real soon.”
In general terms, Boyce said the department is targeting gun violence “at the source” and has seized 474 illegally owned firearms in 2026 so far. Raleigh crime data from January to March 2025 showed the department seized 360 firearms.
On downtown and nightlife safety, Boyce said the department would strengthen ties with Alcohol and Law Enforcement (ALE) to identify “problem establishments” and place more resources in areas with high foot traffic, like bars, clubs, transportation hubs and the hospitality corridor.
Raleigh police said Friday that three juveniles attacked a mall employee right before the shooting at Triangle Town Center. Boyce said youth in Raleigh “have a lot of free time on their hands,” and that one bad actor can lead to juveniles committing crimes.
He pointed to motor-vehicle thefts as an example and again touted partners and community members helping to provide answers and opportunities juveniles who find themselves in trouble.
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 1:57 PM.
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