A national report that has shown homicide rates dropping in many major cities across the United States highlights the significant drop experienced in St. Paul compared to last year, while Minneapolis' rate has stayed stable.
Quarterly data from consulting firm AH Analytics attracted national headlines when it was released Monday, showing that most major cities across the United States have seen a decrease in homicides by an average of 20.8% from January through the end of March in comparison to the same period last year.
As of March 31, St. Paul recorded seven homicides in 2023 but only four in 2024 — a 42.7% decrease, according to the data. (BMTN note: St. Paul has since reported three homicides in April ).
Minneapolis recorded 15 homicides as of Mar. 31, 2024, the same as last year during the same period.
The data also shows a drop for Bloomington, which recorded three homicides in 2023 and one over the same period this year.
It follows a similar trend seen from 2022 to 2023 , when the number of violent crimes reported in the Twin Cities declined after experiencing a major spike in 2021, according to state data.
The AH Analytics report is compiled using the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Crime Data Explorer, which collects data from local law enforcement agencies across the country. It should be noted that the program is voluntary, and not all law enforcement agencies choose to share data.
Full FBI data from 2023 won't be officially announced until around October, The Guardian reports .
Some other major U.S. cities with at least a 30% decrease in homicides include Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, and Philadelphia.
The data shows crime rates continuing to fall following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, when violent crime began to spike across the country.
But while violent crime continues to fall in 2024, in most cities it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. According to the Council on Criminal Justice , there were 18% more homicides in 2023 than in 2019.
In St. Paul, 33 homicides were reported in 2023 and 30 in 2019. As for Minneapolis, 72 homicides were reported last year compared to 48 in 2019.
The Guardian reports other crimes that have decreased at the national level include non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft and arson. One exception is motor vehicle thefts, which spiked in 2023.
The cities showing the largest percentage increases in homicides from January through the end of March are:
- Savannah, Georgia : 7 murders in 2024; 1 in 2023 (600%)
- Omaha, Nebraska : 4 murders in 2024; 1 in 2023 (300%)
- Antioch, California : 4 murder in 2024; 1 in 2023 (300%)
- Columbia, Missouri : 3 murders in 2024; 1 in 2023 (200%)
- Killeen, Texas : 3 murders in 2024; 1 in 2023 (200%)
- Honolulu, Hawaii : 11 murders in 2024; 4 in 2023 (175%)
- North Las Vegas, Nevada : 12 murders in 2024; 5 in 2023 (140%)
- Reno, Nevada : 7 murders in 2024; 3 in 2023 (133.33%)
- Colorado Springs, Colorado : 7 murders in 2024; 3 in 2023 (133.33%)
- Pueblo, Colorado : 9 murders in 2024; 4 in 2023 (125%)
Minneapolis data
The Minneapolis crime dashboard shows a divide of crimes that have decreased and increased since this time last year.
As of April 16, the following crimes have increased:
- Robbery (25.8%)
- Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property (5.1%)
- Assaults (4.2%)
- Burglary (4%)
- Larceny/Theft (0.4%)
And crimes that have decreased in the same time span:
- Motor vehicle theft (41.6%)
- Carjacking (21.3%)
- Stolen property (19.7%)
- Weapon violations (7.4%)
- Sex offenses (0.4%)
The MPD dashboard also shows that shots fired calls (14.6%) and gunshot wound victims (2.2%) have also dropped from last year.
EDITOR'S NOTE: St. Paul doesn't have data as readily available as Minneapolis, as it files its reports with the Minnesota Crime Data Explorer , like many other agencies around the state.
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