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Last updated on Friday, December 20, 2013
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Homicides are up across the City of Indianapolis this year.
Indianapolis Metro Police Department crime figures show there have been 117 homicides or criminal murders in the city so far in 2013. That's the largest number of homicides since 2006 when the figure was 140.
Homicides were significantly lower from 2006 through 2012, but they're back up. There were 96 homicides each in 2011 and 2012, 93 in 2010, 99 in 2009, 114 in 2008 and 113 in 2007.
IMPD Spokesman Lt. Chris Bailey says social factors are playing a large role in the rise. Bailey says they're continuing to focus efforts on fighting crime in numerous zip codes known for homicides. Bailey says they're also seeing a rising trend on the city's Northwest side.
So far this year, the Northwest side has seen 30 homicides compared to 18 in 2012.
Bailey says aggravated assaults across the city are down by about 17% and non-fatal shootings are down 13%.
Bailey says typical homicide suspects tend to be young men with criminal histories and they're concentrated in pockets of the city where they're usually involved in the drug trade.
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