In 2023, there were 20 homicides in Berks County, 17 of which occurred in the City of Reading. In 2022, there were 23 homicides in Berks, 15 of which occurred in Reading. Gun violence and these shootings contributed to a negative image of our region.
In 2024, the incidence of homicides dropped by 40%. Berks District Attorney John Adams attributed this decline in part to the creation of task forces focused on gun violence.
The City of Reading Neighborhood Gun Violence Detail, the County Office of Probation and Parole Firearms Suppression Unit, and the District Attorney’s Gun Crime Unit collaborated to focus on reducing gun violence.
Other community organizations are supporting these efforts to reduce gun violence. Reading Hospital, with support from the state government, has created a Trauma Violence Recovery Program.
There is more work to be done. Join us to learn more about what is being done to combat gun violence from District Attorney John Adams, Dan Heydt, the head of Berks Probation and Parole, and Elias Vazquez, Reading Police Chief.
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