D.C. homicides surge amid broader uptick in city's crime

The nation's capital city of Washington, D.C., is on pace to witness one of its deadliest years in two decades.

As of August, the city has seen 161 homicides, marking a 28% increase over the same period of 2022. The years 2022 and 2021 saw the city witness 203 and 226 homicides respectively. Almost five months remain in 2023.

In the past 20 years, 2003 marked the highest number of homicides with 248, while 2012 saw a low of 88.

City council member Trayon White recently floated calling the National Guard to "protect the children and innocent people" amid the rising violence, Axios reported. 

"We are in a war zone," he said Tuesday.

It's not just homicides spiking either. Since the same period in 2022, the city has seen a 60% increase in robberies, a 19% hike in sex abuse cases, and a 4% uptick in instances of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Motor vehicle theft is up 114% while arson cases have surged 300%. Total crime is up 30%.

Earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill overriding changes the D.C. City Council made to their criminal codes after both chambers overwhelmingly approved blocking them. Republicans had contended that the reforms, which sought to eliminate most mandatory sentences and reduce maximum criminal sentences, were soft on crime.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.