Elected officials in New Jersey gathered on Thursday to share some good news -- gun violence statistics in the state for 2023 were the lowest they had been since 2009, when comprehensive tracking began.
"Our members of law enforcement put their lives on the line for us every singe day," Gov. Phil Murphy said. "And, it's thanks to their courageous service that we have made important, and I would argue exceptional, progress in reducing gun violence in New Jersey."
In statistics released by the Murphy's office, less than 1,000 people were shot throughout the state last year and statewide only 191 people were killed due to gun violence.
The 924 people shot in 2023 marks a 13-percent decrease in shootings over 2022 and an 8-percent decrease in fatalities due to gun violence as well, the office noted.
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"We can officially report that in the year 2023, New Jersey officially saw its lowest number of shootings in nearly 15 years," Murphy -- a second-term Democrat -- said.
A statement on the statistics from Murphy's office, notes that this year, the New Jersey State Police "used data and technology to identify opportunities to support local, state, and federal partners in reducing the number of people shot."
The effort, the statement noted, focused on a holistic approach to strategically deploy limited resources, a reliance on and exploitation of data and technology, community engagement, and law enforcement partnerships that, officials claim was what helped keep the number of New Jersey shooting victims under 1,000 for 2023.
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This is the lowest number since the State of New Jersey began tracking this information in 2009.
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