Statistics on shootings and violence in major U.S. cities showed mixed results for the summer months.
Despite concerns that summer would bring an increase in violent crime, some cities saw little change, or even a decrease, from earlier in the year, Fox News reported Monday.
But some cities, such as Chicago, suffered an increase in bloodshed.
Police officials in Chicago described "a challenging time across the city," with a 22% (78 total) uptick in murders for August compared to the same month last year, Fox News said.
Chicago suffered a 3% increase in murders in a year-to-year comparison.
Although overall shootings in the city decreased from 380 in August 2020 to 372 this August, the number of shooting victims was up by three year-over-year.
August's Chicago victims included a 7-year-old girl who was fatally shot as she sat in a parked car next to her younger sister, a 6-year-old who was also critically wounded, police said.
"To say that I am sad and outraged would be an understatement," CPD Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott said. "I can only hope that every resident of this city is as angry, saddened and outraged as I am at this time. Too many young people have lost their lives to senseless gun violence in the city of Chicago."
Chicago totaled two fewer murders year-over-year in July, but shootings were up 15% and shooting victims were up 9%.
In Atlanta, murders were up approximately 20% (10-12) from June to July and doubled (24) during a 28-day period ending Aug. 28, compared to the same preceding time frame.
Year-to-year overall violent crime numbers in Atlanta were up 9%, and murders increased 14%.
In Los Angeles, the city's police department reported that murders decreased as the summer progressed, from 43 reported in June to 29 in August. Shootings and shooting victims were up in July compared to June, but down in August compared to July.
Still, murders in L.A. were up 22.5% year to date. Shootings had increased 35.5% and shooting victims jumped by 33.3% by the end of August, statistics show.
As for Los Angeles County, homicides were up 62.5% year-over-year, 195 murders reported year to date by the end of August, Fox News said.
"[Murders] keeps trending upward," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. "That is very, very bad."
Philadelphia, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle produced somewhat encouraging numbers in terms of homicides.
- Philadelphia reported 32 murders in August after 38 in July and 54 in June.
- Minneapolis saw fewer homicides year-over-year in the months of June, July and August.
- New York City had a year-over-year decrease in murders by 23.3% in June, 49.1% in July, and 11% in August, as of Aug. 29.
- Seattle reported nine murders in June, and four recorded in both July and August.
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