Homicides in Chicago decreased nearly 13 percent through June and the city saw a greater than 10 percent drop in overall crime, compared to the same time period last year, Chicago police announced Friday in a press release.

Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, ended June with fewer than 200 homicides since the beginning of the year for the first time in recent memory, police said.

Between 2004 and 2008, Chicago experienced its lowest five-year totals for homicides since the early 20th century, and the city is below that pace this year.

So far, the city is on track to keep its homicide rate at or below 2007, when the city recorded its lowest number of slayings since 1965.

Police statistics for 2007 showed 443 murders for the entire year, with 201 by the end of June this year.

According to preliminary statistics for major violent crimes through June this year, the number of homicides were down 12.7 percent; aggravated assaults were down 7.7 percent; aggravated batteries were down 6 percent; criminal sexual assaults were down 5.2 percent; and robberies were down 1.5 percent.

According to the major property crime numbers, auto thefts were down 23.2 percent; other thefts were down 12.5 percent, burglaries were down 2 percent; and arsons were down 1.6 percent.

Overall crime dropped or was flat in 24 of the 25 police districts, police said, with fewer incidents of major violent and property crimes in every category.

Police have surpassed the 4,000 mark in the number of confiscated guns this year. As of Tuesday, police had seized 4,031guns, including 181 assault weapons, police said.


Source: Xinhua