LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Recent numbers show crime is down in Downtown Las Vegas after a spike in violence on and around Fremont Street at the start of 2023.
“There are days when it can be bad,” Anthony Goins, who works on Fremont Street said of the crime. “And days where it’s good.”
Safety in Downtown Las Vegas has been a hot topic these past few months, and many who spoke with 8 News Now Friday said they’ve seen a different trend lately.
“Throughout this last year,” Las Vegas local Kourosh Esfandiari said. “It’s been an uptick and a slowdown.”
Many will remember two tourists died in a hit-and-run crash in the area late last December, then two people were shot near Fremont Street Experience’s 3rd Street Stage the very next night.
Since then, action has been taken, including an increased presence of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Las Vegas City Marshals. Metal detectors were also placed at the entrance to Fremont Street Experience for a while.
In February, the Las Vegas City Council also approved adding a new police substation to the area.
“The concept of kind of giving your card and them knowing who you are,” Esfandiari said of metal detectors. “That was enough for it to kind of calm down.”
Those who spoke with 8 News Now about the issue said they’ve seen a difference recently.
In fact, statistics from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police show crime in the downtown area is down, with homicides, robberies, and property crimes dipping 15% to 20% compared to this time last year.
“As of recently,” Esfandiari said. “I feel like it’s become a lot safer and a lot smoother.”
It’s something people said they are happy to see, as they soak up everything this part of Las Vegas has to offer.
“Always a lot of people around,” Las Vegas local Moji Ejtehadian said. “So, it’s fun.”
For a closer look at LVMPD crime statistics, click here.
