PITTSBURGH \u2014 The special agent in charge of Pittsburgh\u2019s FBI office says newly released data shows efforts to get drugs, guns, and violent criminals off the streets are working.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy marching orders here from this field office as the leader is to make sure that we\u2019re doing everything we possibly can to identify those most violent offenders and get them into custody,\u201d FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec said.<\/p>\n
Evanchec says recent crime stats show a huge drop in violent crime from 2024 to 2025 here in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
Murder dropped 20.6%, and robberies are down 14%. <\/p>\n
Evanchec attributes it to recent operations, like Steel Reaper in Pittsburgh, that led to the arrest of 15 violent offenders and the confiscation of eight guns.<\/p>\n
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 15 Pittsburgh residents indicted in connection with \u2018violent drug trafficking operation\u2019<\/a> <\/p>\n The FBI, along with local and state law enforcement, conducted similar operations in Allegheny, Washington, and Lawrence counties this year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are just really pleased that the data is showing that our targeted enforcement, our increasing partnerships, increasing resources that we have to counter and crush violent crime, those dividends are paying off,\u201d Evanachec said.<\/p>\n Evanachec also addressed crimes involving younger offenders. Just last week, a 15-year-old girl was arrested after firing an AK-47 at two juveniles in Clairton.<\/p>\n PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Girl, 15, charged with attempted homicide after shooting rifle at 2 people in Clairton, police say<\/a><\/p>\n Earlier this year, eight teens as young as 14 were charged in a rash of gun store burglaries. <\/p>\n PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 8 teenagers arrested, one year after 79 firearms stolen from gun stores in PA, OH<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt can\u2019t just be a law enforcement problem; you know we\u2019ve got to have community leaders. We\u2019ve got to have community organizations. Part of it, because we can\u2019t arrest our way out of this, especially with the kid as young as 13 or 14 years old, which is what we are seeing,\u201d Evanchec said.<\/p>\n While feeling good about the numbers, which show a 9.3% decrease in violent crime across the country, Evanchec acknowledges the work is far from over. <\/p>\n \u201cThe leadership in law enforcement knows that there is still work to do, and you can expect in the next coming months there\u2019s going to be more announcements of more people being rounded up and more narcotics taken off our streets. So, stay tuned for more news,\u201d Evanchec said.<\/p>\n He also credited partnerships with local law enforcement like the Pittsburgh Police and Allegheny County Police for the reduction in violent crime. <\/p>\n He said the recent NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, which went off without a hitch, was an example of that partnership. <\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n