For the second year in a row, New Jersey has set a record for the fewest number of gunshot victims since the state first started tracking a total.

State data shows that 778 people were the victims of gunshot violence in 2024, nearly half of yearly totals about a decade ago. The state began tracking the total in 2009.

Gov. Phil Murphy touted his administration’s leadership, as well as community leaders and law enforcement for the drop in crime.

“More families have remained intact, more cities and towns are free from the scourge and threat of violence,” Murphy said Wednesday at a news conference held at the East Rutherford Police Department.

“From investing in traditional law enforcement activities to rebuilding trust in our criminal justice system, to strengthening community based violence prevention and intervention programs at every level, we have introduced innovative solutions and collaborated with New Jerseyans across every walk of life.”

“You’re safer in New Jersey because we’ve invested in our communities as partners,” added Lyndsay Ruotolo, first assistant attorney general of New Jersey. “Our public safety strategy is through community-based and hospital-based violence intervention programs that are breaking cycles of violence.”

State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan said New Jersey’s numbers bested national averages. “Our firearms homicide rate is 67% below the national average. “That is a staggering statistic.”

Murphy also pointed out that car thefts dropped by 11% in 2024 compared to 2023, but are still higher than pre-pandemic levels.