Homicides Are Up in Nearly 30 Major U.S. Cities

A number of major U.S. cities and counties recently saw a rise in the number of homicides, accordingly to newly released data.

Last month, the Major Cities Chiefs Association issued a mid-year report for violent crimes across several cities.

"Compared to 2019 midyear figures, MCCA member cities have experienced a 50% increase in homicides and a roughly 36% increase in aggravated assaults," the Major Cities Chiefs Association said in a press release accompanying the report. "These shocking numbers demonstrate how the sustained increase in violent crime has disproportionately impacted major urban areas."

The report comes as many have called on President Joe Biden to address crime in the U.S. In August, Biden announced the Safer America Plan, and said that it included a "new investment of approximately $35 billion to support law enforcement and crime prevention."

Data shows the number of violent crimes committed in different cities from January 1 to June 30, in 2022 and 2021. While the data shows that overall homicides have decreased slightly from 2021 to 2022, several areas have seen increasing homicide numbers.

A Newsweek review of the data showed that at least 28 counties have seen a rise in the number of homicides in 2022 compared to the previous year. Some of the major cities that saw an increase included Arlington, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Honolulu, Hawaii; Los Angeles, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; New Orleans, Louisiana; Phoenix, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas; and Washington, D.C.

The data also captured a rise in other violent crimes, such as robbery and aggravated assault. According to the report, from January 1 to June 30 in 2021, there were 53,212 robberies and 152,760 aggravated assaults. By comparison, the same period in 2022 saw 60,175 robberies and 156,735 aggravated assaults.

According to the press release, the "Major Cities Chiefs Association is a professional organization of police executives representing the largest cities in the United States and Canada."

"The report covers many topics, including the increase in the proliferation of guns, current gun trends, increases in juvenile gun crime, judicial and prosecutorial implications, Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership issues, and support for victims," the release said.

The report included crime data from 70 cities and counties across the U.S.

Newsweek reached out to the Major Cities Chiefs Association for further comment.

While some cities previously called for police departments and law enforcement agencies to be defunded, over the course of his presidency, Biden has continued to oppose it and encourage law enforcement agencies to be funded.

"We should all agree the answer is not to defund the police. It's to fund the police," Biden said during his State of the Union address this year. "Fund them with the resources and training they need to protect our communities."