Chicago Police: 2018 seeing overall decrease in shootings, murders

The city saw about a hundred fewer murders this year compared to the same time in 2017, according to Chicago Police data.

From January to November, Chicago suffered 103 fewer murders and 413 fewer shootings than it did in the first 11 months of 2017, CPD announced in a press release on Saturday. For the month, Chicago murders were up to 42 compared to 37 in November 2017.

In total, 2,729 people have been shot within the city this year, according to the press release. At this time last year, 3,266 were shot and 618 murdered.

The press release didn’t say how many murders have happened in the first 11 months of 2018, but CPD’s website reports over 500.

So far in 2018, about 8,000 illegal guns have been seized and 5,000 people arrested on gun-related charges, according to the press release. Robberies and burglaries have also decreased by 27 and 15 percent, respectively.

The decline in violent crime marks a trend reported throughout Chicago the last two years. In 2017, 664 people were slain within the city, according to data compiled by the Chicago Sun-Times. And during 2016, Chicago’s deadliest year in two decades, 781 homicides were logged.

“This year’s continued decrease in overall crime is encouraging, but we know we still have much more to accomplish,” CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in the press release. “We will continue leveraging all resources at our disposal to finish the year stronger and safer than before.”

The press release also said 97 new police officers were deployed throughout the city this month, as part of CPD’s plan to grow its ranks by almost 1,000 officers.