2020 Murder Count in Minnesota Broke 25 Year Old Record
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A notorious record that stood for 25 years was toppled last year as Minnesota experienced a surge in violent crime.
The annual Uniform Crime Report from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shows the state experienced a record number of homicides in 2020. The total was 185, which was up 58 percent when compared to the previous year and was 2 above the previous record set in 1995 when Minneapolis was given the nickname "Murderapolis."
The BCA report shows there was a 62 percent increase in the number of assaults on police officers attacked in the line of duty. The 667 incidents reported in 2020 also set a new record. The state agency also says there were 31 reports of officer-involved shootings in 2020 compared with only 6 in 2019.
Overall violent crime in Minnesota increased more than 16 percent last year. On top of the sharp rise in murders, there was a 21 percent increase in reports of aggravated assaults, and robberies were up 26 percent, while there was an 8.5 percent drop in reports of rapes.
It appears some of the crime statistics were greatly affected by the rioting that occurred in the Twin Cities following the death of George Floyd. The report says, after a significant downward trend for several years, arson cases jumped 53 percent in 2020 and there was a 54 percent increase in the value of property reported stolen last year.
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