LA hits 300th murder of the year for the first time in more than a decade

Los Angeles has recorded 300 homicides in a single year for the first time in more than a decade.

The Los Angeles police Department (LAPD) tweeted on Sunday evening that it had recorded its 300th homicide, following four murders over the weekend.

“A number we have not seen in over a decade – 300 homicides in a year. Senseless violence & tragic loss of life,” the LAPD tweeted on Sunday.

“Our people are doing everything they can to stop the violence, but we need your help. If you have any info, report it. You can remain anonymous."

The last time the city recorded 300 homicides in a year was in 2009, when Los Angeles had 312 murders.

There were 253 homicides recorded in Los Angeles in 2019 and 260 the year before.

One of the victims over the weekend was a 17-year-old boy, who was killed while riding a bicycle outside of his home.

Reacting to that incident on Sunday, LAPD Deputy Chief Emada E Tingirides tweeted: “I am HEARTBROKEN!!”

She added: “It's has been a tragic weekend in Los Angeles to include the murder of a 17 year old riding his motorcycle close to his home.”

LAPD chief Michel Moore suggested that the increase in violent crime is connected to economic problems caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has badly affected Los Angeles and California as a whole.

Multiple other cities across the US have seen a dramatic rise in homicides and shooting incidents this year.

Louisville, Kentucky, had recorded at least 121 murders by September, which is more than the city has had in the entirety of any other year.

Louisville Metro Police Department lieutenant Donny Burbink told CNN that at the time of the 121st homicide, arrests had only been made in 37 of the cases, due to the increased workload on officers.

“It's basically to the point where we're not being able to provide victims' families the proper investigative services that we would like to, and it's really unfortunate,” he said in September.

Homicides have also increased in New York City this year, as the area has recorded 405 murders so far in 2020, which represents a 37 per cent increase from the 295 in 2019.

Shootings have also risen in several cities, as incidents in Los Angeles are up 32 per cent this year from 2019, while in New York City they have increased by more than 100 per cent.

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