In 2024, Wilmington city experienced a sharp rise in the murder rate, reporting a 71% increase from the preceding year. This alarming statistic was revealed by the mayor’s office and the Wilmington Police Department, based on preliminary data included in the 2024 Year-End CompStat report. Despite the preliminary nature of these numbers, the FBI’s forthcoming official crime statistics are expected to confirm this surge. Last year’s murder count closed at 24, a concerning leap from the 2023 figures.
A disturbing trend in the underlying specifics of these homicides has been noted by the police department. Analysis reveals a significant growth in the quantity of non-shooting associated killings amongst these recorded murders. Seventeen deaths were attributed to gunshot wounds, two fatalities resulted from deadly stabbings, and the residual victims saw their end through various assaults or strangulation. Notably, the report has pointed out that these non-firearm related cases show more isolated incidents that led to the crimes.
Interestingly, however, as the number of homicides mounted, the frequency of overall shooting incidents was on the decline. The 2024 figures represent the lowest occurrence in a half-decade with a reported 11% decrease from 2023. The total number of shooting incidents dropped to 81 from the previous year’s 91 instances, showing a distinct divergence in shooting related and non-shooting related violence.
Despite the disturbing jump in murder rates, the city report drew attention to several positive facets of crime reduction trends. These encompassed a marked 21% reduction in violent crime incidents and successful arrests connected to a considerable number of the recent murders. Moreover, the city witnessed arrests associated with thirteen of last year’s homicides alongside an additional ten arrests related to murders from previous years.
Furthermore, the reported figures presented an overall reduction in murders as compared to five years earlier. The 31% drop from the 2017 statistics, which reported 35 homicides, underlines a longer-term positive trend. Despite the increased number of murders in 2024 compared to 2023, law enforcement expressed confidence in their ongoing investigations, arresting suspects in a large number of these cases.
Law enforcement officials affirm their commitment to tracking down leads and ensuring justice for all victims. They are entrenched in an ongoing pursuit of those held accountable for these actions, issuing a comprehensive response to the rise in murder counts. The department’s active response underscores their dedication to peacekeeping and justice in the community.
A New Castle County Councilman, whose jurisdiction partly envelops Wilmington, voiced his skepticism concerning the city’s assertion of progress in combating crime. His perception is one of a community living in constant horror of gunfire, which instigates deep-seated trauma amongst its younger inhabitants. Unable to ignore the rising murder rates in his community, he questioned the significance of the declining shootings if the murder rate continues to climb.
Making matters more complicated, the frequency of shooting events implicating youngsters witnessed a slight increase, compared to the previous year. Juvenile involvement in shooting incidents escalated to 15 in 2024, marginally up from 14 in 2023. The number of juvenile victims saw a nominal rise of two, tallying at a total of 17 for 2024.
Police records indicated an uptick in the number of juvenile firearm-related arrests. There was a significant increase in 2024, with the count rising to 40 from 26 in the preceding year. However, this figure was still significantly less compared to previous years, such as 2020, which saw a peak of 53 juvenile gun arrests.
Serious concern regarding youth engagements in shooting incidents has been expressed by a councilwoman from the northeast part of the city. In a recent tragic incident, two teenagers fell victim to gun violence in the district’s Third District stretching around the 2300 block of N. Carter St., one of them succumbing to injuries. She voiced her frustration about the apparent ease with which underage youths are acquiring weapons.
Chandra Pitts, the president of One Village Alliance, a non-profit contributing towards family support in Delaware and Southern New Jersey, shared her insights into the troubling situation. She attributed some factors to the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically discussing the precedence of unaddressed mental health and domestic violence issues among adolescents.
An eye-opening study coming from the Delaware Journal of Public Health reveals that the primary reason young African American males in Wilmington and similar urban spaces resort to gun ownership is a pervasive feeling of insecurity. Around half of the study’s participants from Wilmington admitted to ‘beefing’ on social media as a catalyst for violent acts. Only less than 12% of respondents claim seeing positive opportunities in their city, emphasizing the scope for community improvement.
There is a widespread call for a reevaluation of resource allocation within the city. Pitts, together with fellow advocates, stresses the necessity of greater investment in economically disadvantaged areas. They believe intervention strategies, including mental health services, social work, youth workers, and employment assistance programs should be prioritized, despite the financial implications. The hope lies with the city’s new mayor, who is expected to bring a rejuvenated stance on reducing violent crime across the city.