Homicides Continue to Drop, But Gang Killings in L.A. Grow, New Figures Show

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck on Wednesday released updated figures on homicides in city limits in 2017, showing that while overall homicide numbers decreased slightly, gang-related homicides went up last year and more of these homicides involved firearms.

Out of the 282 victims of homicide in 2017, 177 were gang related, an increase from 2016. More gang-related homicides involved guns; these rose from 72 percent to over 90 percent of the overall count. Beck emphasized that gang-related homicides constitute the wide-majority of killings in the city.

This year, detectives also tracked the number of homeless people involved in homicides. Forty-four homeless people were victims of homicide, and 33 arrested suspects were homeless.

Homicide victims were universally young, male, with high school or less education, and of lower income. The victims were predominantly people of color. For the eighth year in a row, homicides stayed under 300 and homicide numbers decreased a little over four percent since 2016.

“We’re proud of that, but we still have work to do,” the outgoing chief said. “There are still a number issues to work on.”

Beck announced the new numbers during a press conference alongside a few deputies:Justin Eisenberg, the Deputy Chief of the Detective Bureau; William Hayes, Captain of Robbery-Homicide, and Beatrice Girmala, the Assistant Chief Director, Office of Special Operations.