Downtown Detroit Murders

[rbdetsport]

in the past year were there? Today I was having a discussion with my father about how many murders there have been and he didn't believe that downtown is pretty much the safest part of Detroit. I don't know the exact number of murders in downtown, but I know that there weren't many in the past year. Does anyone know the exact number of murders there were in Downtown Detroit in the past year? A Source?

[RustTown]

I haven't really been keeping up with it, but it's a very rare occurance. I think there have been under 10 in the past few years, and 2 were the murder of homeless men at the mercy of plain-clothes police officers, I believe.

[Allan]

I believe there were three murders downtown last year. Statistically 90% of mudrer victims know their attacker. In other words, if you mind your own business you most likely won't have any problems. There are areas in the city that are dangerous, and you don't want to go there...but downtown isn't one of those.

Downtown the biggest problem is people breaking into your vehicle. Of course the easiest way to avoid getting things stolen from your vehicle is to park it in a fairly busy area, lock the doors, and make sure that all your possessions inside the car are hidden from view. I also know a guy who got his car stolen from Capitol Park four times...but it serves him right for leaving it with the keys running.

I personally have only had one experience with crime downtown. A guy attempted to mug me on Lafayette, right in front of the Lafayette Building one Saturday night around 9:30pm. I managed to punch my attacker, which stunned him enough to allow me to get away. I don't think I've ever run so fast in my life! Fortunately, my car was only one block away. I escaped without injury, but needless to say, the whole incident scared the crap out of me.

[Mojo]

For the life of me I'll never understand what makes people think Downtown Detroit is some kind of war zone. When I was in college at LTU (This is just in Southfield mind you) there was a genius who insisted that "gangs" would go on killing sprees every night, leaving the dead bodies in abandonned cars, in Downtown Detroit. Although he admitted that he hardly ever came into the city, his suburban friends viewed his opinion of the city as the gospel.

[hood]

For the life of me I'll never understand what makes people think Downtown Detroit is some kind of war zone.  When I was in college at LTU (This is just in Southfield mind you) there was a genius who insisted that  "gangs" would go on killing sprees every night, leaving the dead bodies in  abandonned cars, in Downtown Detroit.  Although he admitted that he hardly ever came into the city, his suburban friends viewed his opinion of the city as the gospel.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think downtown Detroit is by any means a very safe place, but still the chances of anything happening to you are slim. When I say an area is very bad (and I have called Detroit very bad many times), I would never say gangs went on killing sprees every night . That guy must have been a little skrewed up in the head. When I think of even the worst areas of Detroit, I picture having a good chance of being robbed at most, and a very slim chance of worse, and that goes for anywhere in this, or any other "civilized" country. And on a side note, gangs very rarely participate in random crime, they may have collateral damage, but very rarely intentionaly hurt innocent people, at least the major gangs don't such as the Crips, Bloods, Folks (GD, ect...), and People (VL, ect...)

[Allan]

Yeah, and we all know that Southfield is the safest place in all of metro Detroit.

Downtown Detroit crime is 26% below the national average. In 2003, there were 3,004 serious crimes per 100,000 people reported in downtown Detroit compared to 4,063 in the United States.

Between 2001 and 2004 all categories of crime either remained the same or declined.

- Homicides (9) were similar to previous years and half of 2002's high of 18

- Rapes declined by 36%

- Robberies were down 8%

- Felonious assaults decreased 44%

- Burglary declined by 40%

- Larceny incidents declined by 24%

- Motor vehicle thefts declined by 8%

[hudkina]

I'm more interested in knowing where the entire city stands as of mid-year. I know the FBI usually posts murder numbers for the first six months, so I'm anticipating that coming out. Does anyone know if the total number is still significantly lower than last year, or has there been a spike in recent months?

[Dethome]

I'm more interested in knowing where the entire city stands as of mid-year.  I know the FBI usually posts murder numbers for the first six months, so I'm anticipating that coming out.  Does anyone know if the total number is still significantly lower than last year, or has there been a spike in recent months?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The last I heard it was 171. I believe it is lower than than 6 months into last year. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[EbonyGardens]

Last time I checked, Detroit ended '05 with 374 murders.

[BarGal]

Tourism Economic Development Council Safety Report

Check out the latest independent study regarding safety and security in Detroit, coordinated by the Tourism Economic Development and complied by Wayne State University.

[Zissou]

It would be interesting to see this study if it included the East riverfront. I'm curious to see if any of those percentages would increase if you added that area in, considering its where a great deal of growth is going to occur over the next couple of years.

[RustTown]

Well, the more area you add from the center, the chances of crime are going to go up.

But, what part of the East Riverfront are you talking about in particular? The whole stretch to Belle Isle, RiverEast...? The entire Gold Coast included?

I wouldn't think violent crime would go up much especially just east of the RenCen seeing as how their isn't much left there, and how there probably won't be much left when they get through with prepparing the area for construction.

[Zissou]

Yeah I meant all the way to Belle Isle. The numbers will definitely go up but the percentage would be the telling statistic. I think future studies are going to have to include this area because its going to see a lot of growth and a lot of people.

[BarGal]

Yeah I meant all the way to Belle Isle. The numbers will definitely go up but the percentage would be the telling statistic. I think future studies are going to have to include this area because its going to see a lot of growth and a lot of people.

Zissou, while poking around on the web today I found some information that you may find interesting then

This is a link to a PDF file from WSU Urban Studies web site showing crime including area east of Ren Cen

and

This is a link to a GIS Map from WSU Urban Studies web site that shows crime in the city by address search, census tract, etc.

I believe the figures are as of 2004.

[Zissou]

Thanks for the links. It appears as though the area is as safe if not safer than downtown. Then again this could always change with a large influx of people and businesses.

[hudkina]

Those are raw numbers. Downtown Detroit probably sees nearly 100,000 people on an average weekday, and more during special events.