Homicides in the Mission District were down in 2017, with eight murders reported by the end of the year, compared to 10 homicides in 2016.
In 2017, 56 homicides occurred citywide, compared to a total of 58 in 2016.
The first homicide of 2017 took place on New Year’s Day, but 2018 did not see its first killing until last Thursday, when a 59-year-old homeless man was stabbed to death at 25th Street and Potrero Avenue.
During a Police Commission meeting a day before this year’s fatal stabbing, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said he was proud to see a marked improvement in homicides between 2016 and 2017.
“This time last year we had three, so hopefully we’ll continue to work hard … I think that’s a significant accomplishment,” he said.
At a press conference earlier last week, Scott said that homicides were up in the summer of 2017 compared to 2016, but said the city saw a slowing homicide rate by the end of year, which he attributed largely to the doubling of citywide foot patrols in September. (The foot patrols quadrupled in the Mission.)
Last year, the city saw a 24 percent rise in property crime, with car break-ins in the Mission up 182 percent in the first seven months of 2017 compared to the same period the previous year, prompting calls for beefed-up enforcement from district stations. But Scott noted that violent crime will remain the top priority.
“We can only be effective with property crime if we keep our violent crime in check,” he said, “because the violent crime sucks up a lot of resources and is a huge priority for our city.”
Mission Local is tracking each homicide that occurs in the Mission District in 2018. Scroll through the maps below to compare information from 2016, 2017 and 2018.
I wish they would report how many shootings/stabbings in total vs. only counting dead people. If someone trys to shoot or stab you, that is attempted murder. Whether they accomplish their goal is secondary. This would give us a more accurate indication if violence is going up or down in our neighborhood.
Yes, interesting. John, you comment a lot on our site and I’m wondering if you had considered becoming a member. It is a way of supporting local journalism, which is very much in need of support. https://missionlocal-newspack.newspackstaging.com/mission-local-membership/
Will 2018 be the year Mission Local finally acknowledges the violent gang crime epidemic in the Mission?
THe number of shootings/stabbings is a better indicator of violent crime. Murders just show how many people die, but don’t show how many people were almost murdered.
If someone shoots a gun at somebody else, I would consider that attempted murder. WHether they accomplished their goal is secondary to their mal intent.
Do you have any numbers on shootings and stabbing in the mission year over year?