Homicides DOWN to a 28-year low!

[dimebag1980]

I know this really belongs in the "Crime" topic, but I thought it was deserving of a topic of its own. This truly is a great thing to hear, and I hope the momentum continues in this direction.

Apparently there were only 30 homicides in Shreveport this year, compared to 45 the year before. This is the lowest homicide count since 1984. Coincidentally, 1984 is about the time where our local economy was hanging in there, before the depression took hold. I know this doesn't mean a depression is about to hit, as is evidenced by all the development going on in the area, but it's possible that the great local economy is to thank for crime having dropped off so dramatically.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS03/701030315

[fridayinla]

This is fantastic news!! High violent crime rates have plagued Shreveport's reputation for decades (as we all know)- I'm glad to see things may be improving. I'd like to see that "10 most dangerous metro areas" list recalculated now!

[richyb83]

^ That's really good news for sure. That's a low number; very positive. These list just confuse people.

I wish I could say the same thing my way. This mornings newspaper said the # of homocides in EBR was up to 72 in 2006. It was 59 in 2005. It's easy to see why they call it the "Dirty South".

[dimebag1980]

Damn, Richy, that sucks! 72!? I wonder if that was the "Katrina" impact?

Anyway, Shreveport, let's not celebrate too soon. A stabbing at a Shreveport apartment complex this afternoon has resulted in the city's first homicide of '07... and we're only 3 days into the new year. It LITERALLY takes months before Bossier City typically sees its first homicide of the year.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...NGNEWS/70103027

[bigboyz05]

Damn, Richy, that sucks! 72!? I wonder if that was the "Katrina" impact?

Anyway, Shreveport, let's not celebrate too soon. A stabbing at a Shreveport apartment complex this afternoon has resulted in the city's first homicide of '07... and we're only 3 days into the new year. It LITERALLY takes months before Bossier City typically sees its first homicide of the year.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...NGNEWS/70103027

[dimebag1980]

I saw that on the news last night. That's good news. Some people say they still don't feel safe like this woman who said she makes her kids sleep on the floor because she fears a stray bullet will come through her window. With the first homicide already, I hope this isn't a trend for the rest of the year.

[UptownNewOrleans]

New Orleans' body count for '06 topped out at 161, the lowest in recent years. How about a deal, us New Orleanians will trade your 30 homicides for our 275 (average pre-Katrina years)?

[dimebag1980]

New Orleans' body count for '06 topped out at 161, the lowest in recent years. How about a deal, us New Orleanians will trade your 30 homicides for our 275 (average pre-Katrina years)?

[byrde]

^ That's really good news for sure. That's a low number; very positive. These list just confuse people.

I wish I could say the same thing my way. This mornings newspaper said the # of homocides in EBR was up to 72 in 2006. It was 59 in 2005. It's easy to see why they call it the "Dirty South".

[dimebag1980]

I too wish our numbers related to homicide were like the numbers in S'Port.

[dimebag1980]

Oops.

[fridayinla]

According to this article, Bossier Parish's homicides have increased from 1 to 4 over the last year, but overall violent crime is down, even with the population surge:

Violent crime down in Bossier Parish in 2006

[dimebag1980]

Bad about homicides in Bossier Parish, but good that overall violent crime is down.

What I meant to say in my previous (oops) post was that Shreveport had seen its third homicide in the first 11 days of the year already. However I was misinformed in saying that was a very bad sign. Last year, supposedly, we'd already had more than 3 homicides in the first 11 days of the year, so it doesn't sound too bad afterall. But considering Bossier City usually has on average 3 homicides for an entire year, that goes to show the big differences between Shreveport and Bossier violent crime.

[dimebag1980]

Well, it's happened again. I'm not sure if this is the city's third homicide or what, because I don't watch the news much... but this one was extremely tragic.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...NEWS01/70123008

I hate to fuel the fire, since race is such a huge topic in Shreveport-Bossier (in 2007, go figure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but this woman was Korean. I wonder if she'd have been shot had she been black? I just don't know, but either way it makes me sick.

Initial reports I'd heard were that she was pregnant, but I haven't heard anything else about that. Besides she's 48, so while being pregnant isn't impossible, it's not highly likely. Friends from this woman's Korean church are in shock about the tragedy. I really wasn't aware of any Korean-owned businesses in Cedar Grove. This all happened right here by my office, where I drive these streets every day. I even used to live right over here.

Cedar Grove is a very disturbing neighborhood. We need to tear it down and start over. It sickens me to drive down those streets and see what all goes on.

Some things will never change. Shreveport doesn't need this. Sure, homicides were down last year. Big flippin deal!!!!!!! If we can't clean these neighborhoods up, we WILL be like Detroit and New Orleans.

[dimebag1980]

^ Let me correct myself. I had two stories confused... the woman killed at the beauty supply store was NOT pregnant. Also this week a pregnant woman was beaten and robbed outside a Circle-K store, so that's the story I was confusing.