By Shay O’Connor | WDSU | September 20, 2022
NEW ORLEANS — The city of New Orleans has been declared the murder capital of the United States for the first half of 2022, according to the Metropolitan Crime Commission.
The MCC said when comparing the number of homicides with the population, the homicide rate in New Orleans is significantly higher than in any other American city.
Homicides are up by 46% from this same time last year and up 141% since 2019 according to MCC.
Rafael Goyeneche with the Metropolitan Crime Commission said most of the violent crimes are being committed in two main police districts, New Orleans East and Central City.
“If you can reduce crime by 50% in those two districts, you are reducing violent crime by 25% in the entire city of New Orleans,” Goyeneche said.
This is not the first time New Orleans hit the spot with the highest homicide rate. Back in the mid-90s, New Orleans also had the highest homicide rate of any other city in the country.
Metropolitan Crime Commission said higher raises for officers and better work conditions would help for falling NOPD numbers.
Officials also said New Orleans reached about 221 homicides in the year 2021. In the month of September 2022, we are already very close to reaching that number. Monday, MCC reported 208 homicides with three months to go in 2022.