(WBBM NEWSRADIOO) — The number of homicides in Cook County this year has surpassed 1,000, the largest tally in nearly three decades, officials with the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
The current number stood at 1,009, with a month to go before the end of 2021, officials said in a roundup of statistics released Tuesday. By comparison, the ME reported 986 homicides in 2020; 675 homicides in 2019 and 724 in 2018.
The last time Cook County saw more than 1,000 homicides in a year was in 1994, when the number hit 1,141, officials said. In 1991, the ME’s office handled a record 1,229 homicides.
The homicide victims in 2021 were mostly African-American (81%), with another 15% Latino; 88% of all victims were male.
More than three-quarters of the homicides occurred in Chicago (777), with the balance occurring in suburban areas. Leading the pack in outlying communities was Harvey (30), followed by Maywood (16) and Dolton (11), the ME's office said.
The ages of victims ranged widely from a 1-month-old boy to an 84-year-old man, the ME’s office said.
Related
