Violent crime drops sharply in D.C.
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D.C. has seen one of the steepest drops in violent crime among major U.S. cities in the first half of the year, per new preliminary data.
Why it matters: D.C. ended last year with dire crime statistics — 274 homicides, the most since the late '90s, and nearly double the number of carjackings.
The big picture: Now the city is contributing to a downward trend in crime waves nationally.
- An Axios analysis of data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association found an overall 6% decline in violent crime (homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) among 69 cities during the first six months of 2024, compared to the same period last year.
- Columbus, Ohio, experienced the largest percentage decline in violent crime in the nation, with a massive 41% drop in the first half of 2024. Omaha, Nebraska, was second with a 30% decrease.
- D.C. is on par with Miami, having seen a 29% decline in violent crime.
The latest: Police statistics show D.C.'s violent crime has dropped even more since the end of June. It's down 35% as of Tuesday, compared to this period last year.
- The city has had 114 homicides so far this year, down 30% compared to the same time last year.
- Carjackings involving firearms are down 56% according to a D.C. dashboard.
- Assaults with a dangerous weapon are down 27%, while robbery is down 41%.
Flashback: The crime wave helped fuel Republicans' ongoing campaign to overhaul local crime laws and threats of a federal "takeover" of the city.
Between the lines: The District has implemented several crime-fighting initiatives over the past year, including a sweeping public safety bill that gives judges more power to jail suspects charged with violent crimes until their trial (it also allows minors to be held longer).
- The city also launched a drone program to help fight crime and introduced "Safe Commercial Corridor Hubs" in Chinatown and Anacostia that increase police presence and connect residences with services.
The intrigue: The Washington Post just launched a homicide tracker. It charts the number of homicides per year since 1985 — around when D.C. was dubbed the nation's murder capital — as well as the name, age, and sex of each homicide victim in 2024 and where the death occurred.
- According to Post data, areas east of the Anacostia River in wards 7 and 8 account for more than half of this year's homicides and disproportionately impact Black communities.