Shootings down 77% in Greater Manchester as gun crime falls 2026

Key Points

• Firearms discharges in Greater Manchester declined from 71 in 2020/21 to 16 in the 12 months to April 2026, representing a 77% drop.
• Since April 2021, GMP has confiscated more than 420 viable firearms, including over 143 converted blank firing firearms.
• Greater Manchester has not experienced any fatal firearm discharge in almost four years; the last fatality occurred in March 2023 in Openshaw.
• There were 16 firearms discharges recorded in 2025/26, representing a 45% drop from 29 discharges in 2024/25; there have been three firearm discharges since 1 April 2026.
• According to GMP, the decline is due to intelligence-led operations targeting converted blank firing “Bruni” firearms and increased sentences for firearms-related offenses.
• Local community organizations, such as the CARISMA organization, formed by Professor Erinma Bell, have played an instrumental role in reducing retaliatory violence.

Manchester Crime (Manchester Mirror) September 29, 2026 – New police statistics show a sharp fall in gun violence across the city‑region, with firearm discharges dropping by 77% compared with 2021 levels. According to Greater Manchester Police, there were 16 firearms discharges in the 12 months to April 2026, compared with 71 incidents in 2020–21, marking a reduction of 77.5%. The force said the decline has led to fewer firearms incidents on local streets and may have prevented serious violence and saved lives.

As reported by journalists at the BBC, Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop from GMP’s Serious Crime Division said law enforcement efforts against organised crime factions have contributed to a decrease in retaliatory shootings among adversaries. He highlighted a sequence of incidents in Derker, Oldham, which authorities associated with a conflict over drug territories and which resulted in the seizure of multiple firearms. Harrop added that a stringent approach to modified blank‑firing guns and substantial penalties for those found guilty of gun‑related offences have also contributed to the decline.

GMP stated that its “unwavering pursuit of individuals involved in gun‑related crimes has greatly contributed to the significant decrease in firearm discharges across Greater Manchester”. In the 2025/26 period, only 16 incidents were recorded, marking a 45% decrease from the 29 incidents in 2024/25 and a 77% reduction compared to the 71 incidents in 2021. Since 1 April 2026, the force has recorded three firearms discharges.

How many firearms have been seized and what types were recovered?

Greater Manchester Police said more than 420 viable firearms have been recovered since April 2021, including at least 143 converted blank‑firing weapons. The weapons seized included self‑loading pistols, revolvers, shotguns, machine guns and other viable firearms. In the year to April 2026 alone, 63 firearms were retrieved, with a further 38 taken between April and August 2026.

Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop told the BBC:

“Recovering over 420 operational firearms since 2021 is a remarkable accomplishment.”

He added:

“Every firearm we recover is a potential life saved.”

The firearms were recovered during proactive policing operations, targeted warrants and intelligence‑led investigations carried out by local district officers and the force’s Serious Organised Crime Group.

In February, GMP took part in a nationwide operation targeting Italian‑made blank‑firing weapons that had been illegally converted, known as Bruni firearms. A month‑long surrender and amnesty scheme encouraged people to hand in specified Bruni models at any Greater Manchester Police station. Officers recovered 67 of these weapons through the scheme, separate from the 63 firearms recovered during 2025/26, along with several hundred rounds of ammunition.

What do the latest shooting figures show year by year?

Greater Manchester Police data shows a clear downward trend in firearm discharges over recent years, although the count has not fallen consistently every single year. In 2008, the force area experienced 146 shootings; by 2020 that figure had decreased by more than half. The most recent annual breakdown provided by GMP is as follows: 71 discharges in 2020–21; 46 in 2021–22; 26 in 2022–23; 28 in 2023–24; 29 in 2024–25; and 16 in 2025–26. Since 1 April 2026 there have been three discharges.

When was the last fatal shooting in Greater Manchester?

Greater Manchester has reached a milestone of three and a half years without any fatal shootings in the area. The most recent fatal shooting in Greater Manchester took place on 3 March 2023, when Zikel Bobmanuel was killed in Openshaw. His half‑brother, Rumaal Ingram, was later sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years after admitting manslaughter.

Who is credited with the reduction in gun crime?

Greater Manchester Police has credited its own intelligence‑led operations and sustained enforcement against gun offenders. Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop said:

“The 77 percent reduction in firearm discharges since 2021 highlights the effectiveness of our efforts, demonstrating our officers’ relentless determination to take firearms off the streets and how our intelligence‑led operations are dismantling those who possess these weapons.”

Community organisations have also been recognised for their role. Gun crime advocate Prof Erinma Bell, who established CARISMA in Manchester after witnessing a shooting in 2002, noted that local groups have contributed significantly to the decline in gun‑related violence. Harrop remarked that law enforcement efforts against organised crime factions have contributed to a decrease in retaliatory shootings among adversaries.

Background to the development in Greater Manchester gun crime

The reduction in shootings follows years of targeted policing, national operations against converted blank‑firing weapons, and local community interventions aimed at preventing retaliation and escalation. Converted Bruni pistols and similar devices have featured in several high‑profile cases, prompting a coordinated surrender scheme and stricter enforcement. At the same time, longer sentences for firearm offences and focused action against organised crime groups have removed weapons and disrupted supply chains. Nationally, firearms offences in England and Wales have also trended downwards, with the Office for National Statistics reporting firearms offences at their lowest level since 2003.

Prediction: how could this development affect residents and businesses in Greater Manchester?

If the current trajectory continues, residents across Greater Manchester could experience fewer spontaneous shootings, reduced fear of gun violence in public spaces, and lower risks of collateral harm in disputes between rival groups. Local businesses, particularly in areas previously affected by retaliatory shootings, may benefit from improved perceptions of safety, potentially supporting evening trade and investment. However, police have warned they are not complacent and remain committed to targeting offenders who seek to bring violence and fear into communities, suggesting that any reversal in organised crime activity could quickly test these gains.