Scottsdale leaders confronted a summer marked by several high-profile shootings in Old Town as they balanced concern about public safety with data showing broader declines in violent crime in the downtown area.
Officials respond to specific incidents and wider trends
Mayor Lisa Borowsky called the recent violence in Old Town "unacceptable" after authorities investigated a murder, two other shootings and a fatal confrontation tied to a brawl outside bars. She said residents and visitors should not question their safety when choosing to come downtown.
"The recent violence in Old Town is unacceptable," Mayor Lisa Borowsky said.
City Attorney Luis Santaella said his office is reviewing options to discourage criminal activity in the Entertainment District, including the possibility of imposing enhanced penalties for offenses that occur in that area. "We're hoping," he told a City Council subcommittee, that the changes will send a clear message: "do not come and commit crimes in Scottsdale."
Police: Old Town seeing fewer violent incidents overall
Scottsdale Police Chief Joe LeDuc acknowledged the recent incidents but emphasized a longer-term decline in violent crime in Old Town and downtown Scottsdale. He told the City Council Committee on Community Safety that violent crime in the area has fallen by roughly 50% over five years and by about 39–40% in the past two years.
LeDuc presented comparative homicide data for Valley cities to illustrate the city’s position regionally. Scottsdale’s 2025 homicide rate was 2.9 per 100,000 residents, according to the slide he showed at the committee. That figure compares with higher rates reported by larger neighboring cities.
| City | Homicides (2025) | Rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 129 | 7.7 |
| Tempe | 10 | 5.2 |
| Glendale | 10 | 3.8 |
| Gilbert | 10 | 3.5 |
| Mesa | 18 | 3.5 |
| Scottsdale | — | 2.9 |
| Chandler | — | 1.8 |
LeDuc noted the city’s census population is about 230,000 but pointed out that figure does not capture the large number of visitors who use downtown each year. He cited roughly 11 million annual visitors and an estimated 20,000 people who visit the downtown area on a given occasion, stressing that the transient population affects public-safety planning and resource allocation.
Enforcement and deterrence strategies under consideration
With attention focused on the Entertainment District, the city attorney’s office is exploring legal tools to deter repeat or high-risk behavior in nightlife corridors. That could include tougher penalties tied to the location of offenses, the committee heard. City leaders and law enforcement officials said those measures would be paired with continued police enforcement, outreach to local businesses and coordination with state prosecutors.
- Violent crime in Old Town/downtown Scottsdale down about 50% over five years.
- 39–40% decline in the past two years, according to police.
- City considering enhanced penalties for crimes in the Entertainment District.
Residents and business owners told council members they want both visible enforcement and sustained policy responses that address recurring trouble spots without deterring visitors or undermining the downtown economy. Officials said they will continue to monitor incident trends and evaluate whether proposed penalties and enforcement strategies produce a deterrent effect.
For now, Scottsdale leaders say the city remains comparatively safe on a regional scale even as they confront the immediate fallout from several violent episodes in Old Town this summer.
