The District of Columbia has recorded 100 homicides at its earliest date in two decades, according to police data.
Crime data from the Metropolitan Police Department shows that the city documented 102 homicides through Tuesday, June 6 — a 19% increase from the 86 slayings witnessed in D.C. through the same period last year.
The D.C. Police Union said the 100-homicide threshold hasn’t been reached this quickly since 2003, when the city saw 248 killings by year’s end.
The MPD confirmed the accuracy of the police union’s number to The Washington Times.
Last year, the union said the nation’s capital didn’t record its 100th homicide until June 24. In 2021, the city saw its 100th killing on July 10.
The uptick in slayings come as D.C. is experiencing increases in most serious crimes — from robberies and carjackings to sexual assaults and assaults with dangerous weapons.
Police data shows that violent crime is up 16% this year, with overall crime up 27%.
“This increase in crime is due to the D.C. Council’s implementation of misguided ‘police reform’ legislation,” Gregg Pemberton, the D.C. Police Union chairman, said in a press release. “The council’s actions have had a chilling effect on professional and responsible policing and caused over 1,200 police officers to leave the agency.”
Four homicides have been reported by police this month, with most of the victims dying from gunfire.
Authorities said a man was found shot dead inside a home Friday night in the 2900 block of Nelson Place SE.
Another man was shot and killed overnight Saturday in the 300 block of Anacostia Road SE.
Police arrived at the scene of a shooting Monday night in the 2500 block of 14th Street NE. Responding officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds and took him to the hospital for treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries.
A man died June 1 from burn injuries he suffered after a car he was sitting in was set ablaze days earlier, according to police. An unnamed woman was arrested and charged with assault with intent to kill over the incident. Police said they are in discussions with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue more severe charges against the woman.
D.C.’s issues with killings come as many major U.S. cities appear to have tamped down violent crime.
The homicide rate fell in cities from Chicago and New York to Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Houston through May, according to a research firm that tracks murder nationwide.
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