According to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more than 21,500 murders were committed in the United States last year, which is 30 percent more than in 2019.
Several major American cities have already reported such alarming reports. However, this is the first official data compiled on the basis of information from law enforcement agencies of the country. The homicide rate in the United States has been at a record high since the FBI began keeping these statistics in the 1960s.
In 2020, marked by an outbreak of a new coronavirus pandemic, the number of homicides increased across the United States, especially since June. Louisiana remains at the top of the gloomy statistics.
The number of homicides in the country is at its highest level in a quarter of a century. However, it is still below the peak of the 80s of last century. About three-quarters of homicides in the United States last year (77 percent) were committed with firearms. In 2019, this share was 74%.
Last year, 6.5 homicides per 100,000 people were committed in the United States. There are no official statistics for this year in the United States yet. However, available data from US cities do not indicate a decrease in the number of homicides, according to AFP, citing BTA.