Posted on January 04, 2017 in Weapons

2016 will be a year to remember for Chicago. The high point for many Chicagoans will be the World Series victory by the Cubs – their first championship in more than 100 years. But the city also hit a low point in 2016, as the homicide count grew to 762 before the calendar turned.

762 homicides is problematic for a number of reasons. That number means the city averaged more than two homicides a day for an entire year. That number represents the most killings the city has seen in a calendar year in two decades. That number is more than the number of homicides in New York City and Los Angeles, combined.

Shootings Spike In 2016

According to the data, Chicago saw roughly 1,100 more shooting incidents in 2016 than it did a year prior. Not surprisingly, the homicide total grew as well, as the 762 homicides represented a huge spike from 2015 when there were 485 reported homicides. Police said a part of the problem is the influx of illegal weapons into the city, as police seized 20 percent more illegal firearms in 2016 than in 2015.

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