City of Detroit murder rate rises, despite overall crime rate reduction

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Mayor Dave Bing released homicide statistics for the city of Detroit in 2012, and the news is disturbing.

Out of a total of 461 death investigations, 411 were homicides - a climb in the murder rate compared to 2011's homicide numbers which totaled 377. Twenty-five of the recorded homicides were considered justifiable.

Detroit police say most of the murders were the result of shootings.

However, the numbers also show that the overall crime rate numbers fell 2.6 percent in 2012.

"The release of annual crime statistics reminds us of the senselessness of crime and violence in our community; the challenges facing our police force; and the need to improve the conflict resolution and other anti-crime initiatives," Mayor Bing said.

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Behind the numbers is the real story of devastation and heartbreak as families continue to deal with the loss of their loved ones.

"I feel like a part of me died and I will never get it back," says Melissa Villneff when talking about the murder of her dad John who was shot and killed while protecting his nieces last August.

"We can never hug him again," said Melissa.

Families of those killed talk about the sadness that never goes away, about the anger, and about the longing for justice.

The numbers are expected to be the highest the city has seen since 1994.

City officials and police have been searching for answers to the high murder rate, looking for ways to make the city safer.

If you have any information regarding an unsolved murder, call police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP.

Detroit Homicide Statistics