There were 762 murders in Chicago in 2016. It was the deadliest year in nearly two decades. Here’s how we got to this point, what it means for the city and those whose lives have been changed forever. The number alone doesn’t tell the entire story of Chicago’s bloodshed. There’s another statistic that points to a disturbing trend the city is facing: a surge.
There was more than a 50% increase in murders in just one year. Chicago hit 500 homicides before the end of the summer in 2016. In 2015, the city had less than 500 homicides total. Five police districts on the south and west sides of the city accounted for nearly two-thirds of the increase in murders, according to Chicago police. READ MORE
