LA records nearly 400 killings in 2021

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told a press conference Thursday that there were nearly 400 killings in the second largest U.S. city, the most in a single year over the last 15 years, reported Xinhua.

According to an annual crime statistics release by the mayor, last year recorded 397 homicides, up by 42 from 2020 and second only to 480 killings in 2006.

Overall, crime was up in Los Angeles last year over 2020. All Part 1 crimes, including murder, manslaughter, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson, went up 4.6 percent while property crimes were up 4.2 percent, and violent crimes were up 3.9 percent.

Moreover, there were far more victims shot in the city with a population of about 4 million over the last two years. The number of people shot was 1,337 in 2020, 1,459 last year and 946 in 2019.

The Chief of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Michel Moore noted that the disastrous fallout of COVID-19 hit Angelinos both financially and psychologically, and the city and country failed to meet the increasing demands for all types of services for those being left behind.

However, compared to the violence in the 1980s and 90s, the last two years were still among the safest in the city's history.