The number of gun crimes in the north-east fell by more than a quarter last year – but the figure is still twice as high as five years ago.
Scottish Government statistics revealed a total of 35 offences across the region in which a firearm was alleged to have been used, and that was down from 48 incidents in the previous year.
Highland saw the biggest improvement on 2014/15, with only two recorded incidents compared with 15 in the previous 12 months.
Armed criminals struck 16 times in Aberdeen – two fewer than the figures for last year – while Aberdeenshire recorded the same 12 as the previous year and there were none in Orkney, Shetland or the Western Isles.
The only increase – from three to seven – was in Moray.
Across the whole of Scotland, there was a 7% reduction from 358 to 332 – the lowest number recorded and down almost three-quarters over the last decade.
The north-east enjoyed a similar drop between 2006 and 2013, but has subsequently suffered a return to higher levels and is only 48% down over the 10 years.
Air weapons were the most commonly-used firearm last year, but tighter regulation coming into force next month is expected to tackle that.
From December 31, it will be illegal for anyone to possess or use an air weapon without a licence under the Air Weapon and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015.
Other weapons used in last year’s incidents included rifles, shotguns, pistols and imitation guns.
In more than a third of the incidents, guns were not fired but used to threaten, with the majority of weapons brandished in homes or roads.
Nationally, the number of deaths or injuries caused by firearms fell from 48 to 35 last year.
Of the 35, 20 were male and ten were aged under 16.
The “clear up” rate fell to 68%.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Today’s figures show excellent progress is being made to tackle the scourge of gun crime in Scotland.
“I am particularly pleased that the number of people killed or injured by firearms continues to fall.
“Our new air weapons licensing laws, which come into force at the end of this year, will better protect our communities by taking these weapons out of the hands of those who would misuse them.”
Earlier this year, Police Scotland confirmed that more than 17,000 weapons were handed in as part of a nationwide air weapons amnesty.
