"Brutal, Execution-Style Homicides In Broad Daylight"
Metropolitan Crime Commission provides weekly crime statistics
The MCC, while providing improving statistics compared to crime rates last year, caution that comparison to 2019 levels reveals that our city remains quite dangerous. In addition to day-time murders, the killing outside of Mandina’s Restaurant during Friday night service (first Jazz Fest weekend) provides a stark reminder, as if we needed one, that we have much more work to do to make our city livable and safe.
Viewer Discretion: See the murder from Mandina’s camera HERE.
A makeshift memorial to Hilbert Walker III outside Mandina’s. Notice the camera that was mounted directly over the murder scene.
While visiting the restaurant, this writer noticed the car of a waiter with the back glass broken. Indeed, car break-ins remain a frequent and serious problem.
This past weekend, a local Uber driver reported through social media seeing more than 50 cars broken into at parking lots near the foot of Canal Street.
As of May 14, 2023:Â
Homicide Victims: 101
Eleven homicide victims in the past week (one vehicular), compared with 4 the same week last year.
This represents an 8% decrease in overall homicides, though we remain 140% higher than the same time in 2019.
Nonfatal Shooting Incidents: 160
There have been approximately 231 victims of nonfatal gunshot incidents in 2023, though this number is subject to change as investigations progress.
Note: At the same time in 2022, there had been 167 shooting incidents and approximately 242 nonfatal shooting victims.
Carjacking Incidents: 68
Carjacking incidents are down 43% relative to 2022 – this is the biggest drop we have seen in any violent crime category since 2022.
This considerable decrease in carjacking coincides with a large (155%) increase in auto theft (as of May 14, 2022, 1,206 auto thefts vs. 3,075 in 2023).
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Armed Robbery: 177
Reported armed robbery is down 10% relative to 2022.
We are starting to see larger increase (now +34%) relative to 2020, largely attributable to pandemic lockdown and lack of 2020 tourist traffic.
In 2022, there were 1.206 reported auto thefts as of May 14th.
There have been at least 3,075 reported auto thefts to date in 2023, an increase of 155% since 2022.Â
This is an average of 23 stolen cars per day.
Friends, we have a city to save. Be careful.
Please visit the website for the Metropolitan Crime Commission.