Cincinnati fatal shootings soared in 2020. This year, anti-gun violence activists want to reverse the trend 2020 was one of the deadliest years on record in Cincinnati, but local anti-gun violence advocates remain hopeful that 2021 will be a safer year. and last updated 2021-01-01 23:17:49-05 CINCINNATI â 2020 was one of the deadliest years on record in Cincinnati, but local anti-gun violence advocates remain hopeful that 2021 will be a safer year. Police investigated 92 homicides in 2020, according to the Cincinnati Police Departmentâs latest report. The number of gun homicides has trended up for the last three years; 2018 saw 51 deadly shootings, followed by 59 in 2019. In 2020, 85 people were shot and killed, making up more than 90% of total homicides that year.