Chicago regularly updates homicide statistics, with daily releases of the number of killings. However, the names of victims are withheld for two weeks to allow time for their families to be informed by police.
It’s important to note that the city’s homicide figures do not account for deaths resulting from self-defense or other specific circumstances not covered in the police data. Additionally, homicides reported by the Illinois State Police, who patrol expressways, are excluded from this count.
Following a surge in homicides during the pandemic and amid nationwide protests over police accountability, Chicago saw a decrease in killings starting in 2022. This trend continued into 2023, although the city faced rising crime rates in other areas, such as robbery and carjackings, which contributed to an overall increase in violence.
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