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Murder Rate for October Second Lowest in 30 Years

By DNAinfo Staff on November 2, 2012 11:15am

 Garry McCarthy announced Thursday in a statement that the city's October murder rate decreased from that of 2012. (file photo)
Garry McCarthy announced Thursday in a statement that the city's October murder rate decreased from that of 2012. (file photo)
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DNAinfo/Darryl Holliday

Police announced in a written statement Wednesday that the city's October murder rate was the second lowest for the month in 30 years.

There were 36 murders in October 2012 compared to 44 in October 2011. There was also a drop in shootings in October, with 208 in 2012 compared to 231 in 2011, and a 9 percent decrease in overall crime, according to a written statement.

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy attributed in the statement the decreases to the Gang Violence Reduction Strategy. Part of the strategy is a gang audit to identify prominent gangs and their factions, territories, hierarchies, alliances and propensity for violence. The strategy also involves denying I-Bonds to gang members to decrease retaliatory violence, according to the statement.

"While overall crime is down 9 percent and the decrease in the murder rate and shootings during October is evidence that [the Chicago Police Department's] hard work is working, we still have more work to do to ensure that residents in all neighborhoods across Chicago are safe," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement.

Police also announced the confiscation of $4 million in drugs, $1.6 million in cash and seven arrests, the result of two long-term investigations also part of the Gang Violence Reduction Strategy. One investigation involved narcotics sales out of fitness centers in the 4600 block of North Elston Avenue in Irving Park, and another involved drug trafficking that led to a home in the 5400 block of South Long Avenue in Garfield Ridge and a home in southern suburb Oak Lawn, according to the statement.

The number of murders in 2012 surpassed the total for all of 2011 as of Oct. 29 with the 436th homicide.