New Orleans Again US Murder Capital

By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 2, 2009 2:48 PM CDT
New Orleans Again US Murder Capital
An aerial view of the Industrial canal that runs between the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans.   (AP Photo)

New Orleans is once again the US murder capital after briefly losing the title. Fresh FBI statistics show that with 64 killings per 100,000 people in 2008, New Orleans had the highest per-capita murder rate in the country, well ahead of second-place St. Louis, with 47 murders per 100,000 people.

The FBI's report bases its per capita number on a New Orleans population of 281,440 for July 1, 2008. The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center put the city's population for the first half of 2008 at 324,357. But even using the higher estimate, the city recorded 55 murders per 100,000—which would still lead the nation. (More murder rate stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X