Homicides down 9%, HPD reports, following national downward trend

The number of homicides was 9 percent lower, according to Victor Senties, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department. According to preliminary unofficial figures, there were 142 homicides as of June 11, compared to 156 during the same period in 2023. There were 202 during the same period in 2022, Senties said.

The department’s figures echo national trends. Violent crime, for example, declined by more than 15% compared to 2023 during the first months of 2024, according to FBI data. Murders were down 26%, records show.

Federal agency officials stressed that information on the decline in violent crime nationwide is preliminary and only includes agencies participating voluntarily. The information published on Monday, for example, came from only 72% of participating agencies.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department has prioritized working with local law enforcement to reduce crime.

“But we know there is still much work to be done and the progress we have seen can still easily be erased,” Garland said in a press release. “We will therefore continue to deploy our technological and prosecutorial resources to identify and prosecute those most responsible for gun violence. We will continue to invest in essential programs that allow police departments to hire more officers. We will continue to build public trust. essential for public safety. And we will continue to support evidence-based community violence intervention initiatives that save lives.

Despite a downward trend, recent weeks have been marked by an increase in violence, according to internal figures. More than 19 homicides have been reported to the Houston Police Department in the past two weeks, according to Christopher Hassig, commander of the homicide division.