More Guns, Less Crime in Baltimore As City Sees 50-Year Low in Homicides
By Cam Edwards | 8:30 AM | May 03, 2026
In 2020, there were less than 50,000 active concealed carry permits in "may-issue" Maryland. As of April, 2025, more than 200,000 Maryland residents had obtained their "shall-issue" license to carry, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision in Bruen four years ago.
According to gun control activists, when SCOTUS struck down "may issue" licensing laws, it was going to lead to a surge in violent crime. Instead, the U.S. homicide rate is the lowest its been since at least 1960, and one of the cities that's made the most progress over the past few years is Baltimore, Maryland.
Between 2015 and 2022, Baltimore recorded at least 300 homicides a year. The numbers started falling in 2023, not long after the Maryland State Police began issuing carry permits on a "shall issue" basis, and as more Baltimore residents started exercising their right to carry. They've been dropping ever since, and last month the city recorded a stat that would have dumbfounded many residents, officials, and law enforcement just a decade ago.
https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2026/05/03/more-guns-less-crime-in-baltimore-as-city-sees-50-year-low-in-homicides-n1232404
