The District has seen a drop in crimes in general by 6,152 citywide over the past one year compared to the same period of 2019, according to official data.
From January 1, 2020 through December 28, 2020, a total of 27,371 criminal offenses, including 3,911 violent crimes, took place in DC.
Overall violent crime has decreased by 4 percent in 2020 compared to 2019, according to data released by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). However, the number of homicides went up this year by 21 percent (with a total of 197 cases), compared to 163 incidents recorded between January 1, 2019 and December 28, 2019. July was the month with the most homicides in 2020, with 28 reported cases.
“Robberies with a gun” also went up by 202 across the District in 2020, with 955 incidents, while overall robberies declined by 11 percent (1,951 cases). October (158) and November (123) were recorded with the most cases.
As for sex abuse, 165 incidents occurred from January to December 2020, with a drop of 25 compared to the same period of 2019.
In addition, there was a 141 percent increase in carjackings, MPD has revealed, with a particular spike of 250 percent in the Seventh Police District that covers a large portion of Ward 8 in Southeast.
A total of 3,200 motor vehicles were stolen in 2020 so far around DC, including an increase of 1,031, compared to the same period of 2019. September saw 364 motor vehicles stolen, becoming the month with the most incidents this year.
“In some ways you might look and say that it is surprising. For me, I don’t think that is surprising,” Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7F Chair Tyrell Holcomb said in an interview with WUSA9, noting that the ongoing pandemic has put extra strain on residents living in the area that are already struggling to provide for their families.
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