Shootings in New Orleans this year are more likely to be fatal compared to previous years. The Metropolitan Crime Commission sees a number of reasons for that.
Thirty-two percent of shootings so far in 2022 have proven deadly. The rate last year was 24 percent.
"That paints a very telling picture of the level of violence and how it is even more deadly this year," said Metro Crime Commission president Rafael Goyeneche.
So why the increase? The MCC says more powerful firearms, longer response times, and hospital staffing issues are all potential factors, and even a non-fatal shooting exacts a tremendous toll.
"(It) is usually six digits in the hospital, in the emergency room, that's a typical shooting," Goyeneche said. "Some of the shootings that we're seeing right now are people remaining in the hospital for weeks and months."