The number of homicides committed in major cities during the first half of this year is up by more than 15 percent, and overall violent crime is up more than two percent compared to the first half of 2015, according to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA).
A midyear comparison of violent crime in major cities between 2015 and 2016, compiled via a survey of police departments, reveals increases in several categories of violent crimes.
According to the MCCA survey, the police departments of major cities reported a total of 2,308 homicides during the first half of 2016 compared to 2,001 during the first half of 2015. Additionally aggravated assaults increased from 68,990 in the first half of 2015 to 70,809 so far this year, non-fatal shootings grew from 6,362 to 6,965 this year to date, and robberies have also increased from 46,182 during the first half of 2015 to 47,294 this year. Rape was the one category of the five that saw a slight decrease from 10,799 last year to 10,606 so far in 2016.
The data only includes major cities that responded to the MCCA’s survey. For example, while New York City usually responds to MCCA’s data requests it has yet to do so for this survey and is therefore not included in the results. Fifty-one cities were however represented in the survey, including Orlando, FL where a terrorist recently killed 49 people.
“The biggest take away is that even though there is an increase in several violent crimes a few cities (Chicago, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, LA County, Louisville, San Antonio) account for much of the overall increase,” Darrel Stephens, the executive director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association explained in an email to Breitbart News, “Of course the tragic mass shooting in Orlando accounts for 49 of the homicides.
Of the 51 major cities’ police departments’, 29 reported increases in the number of homicides, including: Arlington PD, Atlanta PD, Aurora PD, Austin PD, Baltimore County PD, Boston PD, Chicago PD, Dallas PD, Forth Worth PD, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Dept., Las Vegas Metropolitan PD, Long Beach PD, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept., Los Angeles PD, Louisville Metro PD, Nashville PD, Newark PD, Oklahoma City PD, Orlando PD, Philadelphia PD, Phoenix PD, Pittsburgh PD, Prince George’s County PD, San Antonio PD, San Diego PD, San Jose PD, Seattle PD, Tulsa PD, Washington DC (Metro PD).
As Stephens noted, several cities experienced substantial increases in violent crime. In Chicago, for example, homicides grew from 211 in the first half of 2015 to 316 so far this year. Rape in Chicago was also up (677 compared to 643 last year) as was robbery (5,176 compared to 4,050 last year), aggravated assault (2,751 compared to 2,298 last year), and non-fatal shootings (1,321 compared to 875 last year).
Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Los Angeles County, Louisville, and San Antonio, as Stephens indicated, also saw markedly higher violent crime levels. Seventy-eight homicides were reported in Phoenix during the first half of this year, 26 more than were reported during the first half of 2015. Las Vegas reported 90 homicides so far this year, 34 more than last year. Dallas has seen an increase of 14 more homicides over last year, reaching 83. Los Angeles County reported 25 more homicides over last year with a total so far this year of 110. Louisville and San Antonio both reported 19 more homicides than the first half of 2015.
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