Murder by the Numbers
So far this year, the city of Indianapolis is averaging a murder every three days.
Criminal homicide statistics provided by IMPD show 55 murders between January 1 and June 11.
And as in years past, most of the victims and suspects had criminal records.
Of the 55 murder victims, local adult criminal histories were found for 38 (69%) of the victims. These 38 individuals accounted for 156 adult felony arrests.
Where criminal histories were found:
- 12 (32%) had a previous weapons arrest
- 23 (61%) had a previous drug arrest
- 18 (47%) had a previous crimes against persons arrest.
Of the 29 suspects where a name was known, prior local adult criminal histories were found for 20 (69%) of the suspects. These 20 people accounted for 98 adult felony arrests:
- 10 (50%) had a previous weapons arrest
- 14 (70%) had a previous drug arrest
- 13 (65%) had a previous crimes against persons arrest
There have been five juvenile murder victims so far this year and three suspects under the age of 18.
The racial relationship between victims and their suspects was as follows…
- Black victim – Black assailant = 19
- Black victim – White assailant = 1
- Black victim – Hispanic assailant = 0
- Black victim – Unknown assailant = 20
- White victim – White assailant = 3
- White victim – Black assailant = 4
- White victim – Hispanic assailant = 0
- White victim – Unknown assailant = 9
- Hispanic victim – Hispanic assailant =1
- Hispanic victim – Black assailant = 0
- Hispanic victim – White assailant = 0
- Hispanic victim – Unknown assailant = 2
- Asian victim – Asian assailant = 0
- Asian victim – Black assailant = 0
- Asian victim – Unknown assailant – 1
- Unknown victim – Unknown assailant = 0
Five (9%) of the 55 murders were known to have been motivated by drugs.
Blacks are about 25% of Indy’s population and have been 72% of the murder victims.
The city and IMPD this week announced a new effort to engage the community in order to stem a rising time with crime this summer.
