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Despite high murder count, Austin murder rate consistent with other big cities, study says

Austin was in the lower half of cities in terms of murder rate. (Pexels)
Austin's murder count may be the highest it has been since 1984 but that's not unique to our city. Since the third quarter of 2019, homicide rates nationwide have risen by an average of 34%.
The capital city is growing like a weed—it's the fastest-growing large metropolitan area in the U.S.—but the growth in murder cases is happening in all 50 states, according to Police Chief Joseph Chacon. A new study by WalletHub finds that despite Austin's population jump, the homicide rate is not an outlier compared with the other 49 biggest cities in America.
On the 100-point scale, a zero indicates the lowest homicides and 100 indicates the highest homicides. The scores are calculated out of 50 points for homicides per capita from Q3 in 2021, 25 points for changes in homicides from Q3 in 2021 vs. Q3 in 2020, and 25 points for changes in homicides from Q3 in 2021 vs. Q3 in 2019.
In fact, Texas fared pretty well on the list overall. Austin fell in the bottom half of the list in 32nd place with a score of 37.67. Both Dallas and Arlington came in with higher homicide cases per capita than Austin, in 24th and 30th places, respectively. Two Texas cities came in lower: Fort Worth in 43rd and El Paso in 46th place.
Sandwiched between Tusla, OK, and Madison, WI, Austin scored 1.79 points for homicides per capita in Q3 of 2021—the 10th lowest across the entire list. Baltimore, Maryland, topped this category with a score of 13.79, while Lincoln, Nebraska, came in lowest with a score of zero.
In terms of changes between Q3 in 2021 and 2020, Austin came in 16th highest with a score of 0.63, though it was higher than any other Texas city on the list for this category. Highest on the list overall, Atlanta, Georgia was No. 1 for this category with 2.86 points and Cincinnati, Ohio was last, with a score of -4.89.
Finally, between changes in Q3 for 2021 and 2019, Austin hovered right around the middle of the list in 27th place with a score of 0.74 below Arlington and Fort Worth. Louisville, Kentucky, has seen the highest increase, with a score of 5.18, whereas Kansas City, Missouri, saw the biggest decrease with a score of -4.32.
Austin's murder count has been a topic of conversation as the city simultaneously faces a shortage of police officers for months. Austin voters will vote on a proposition in the upcoming November election that would add more police officers to the department, which proponents say will make the city safer but opponents say will hurt funding for other departments in the city.
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Popular
(Moriah Wilson/Instagram)
Austin police have charged Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, a local cyclist, for the murder of Moriah "Mo" Wilson.
Wilson, a rising star in the gravel and mountain bike community, was found dead with gunshot wounds inside an East Austin home on the night of May 11 when she was in town for the weekend Gravel Locos race in Hico, Texas.
Police believe Wilson was having a relationship with a man Armstrong was also in a relationship with. The man, another gravel cyclist, Colin Strickland, has since issued a statement on the murder.
In his statement, he said he had a brief romantic relationship with Wilson in October 2021 before he resumed his relationship with Armstrong, but that he remained friends with Wilson. "There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy.
NEW: Austin professional cyclist Colin Strickland has just released a statement about the murder of cyclist Moriah Wilson, clarifying his relationship with her and expressing “torture about my proximity to this horrible crime.” pic.twitter.com/KnIna3mWrE
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) May 20, 2022
Wilson, a 25-year-old Vermont native living in Colorado, had won a slew of races becoming a fan favorite. She had just become a full-time racer this year.
Anyone with information on this crime can contact Austin police at 512-974-TIPS or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 512-472-8477.
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Kelly said the planned homeless housing hotel suffered months of damage. (Mackenzie Kelly)
Austin has added 24-hour security to the city-owned Pecan Gardens property, which will be converted into supportive housing for people exiting homelessness, after the former hotel was found with months of damage and vandalism May 5.
The building, which was broken into and stripped of copper and had people illegally sleeping inside of it, has been secured, Kelly said in a Friday press conference. Kelly said the city confirmed a measure to implement 24-hour security, including updates every 60 days until the property opens up as supportive housing.
"We cannot let this happen to any vacant city-owned property ever again," Kelly said. "This blatant act of disregard and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our community."
The city bought the former hotel in August 2021 for $9.5 million with plans to renovate the property into a 78-unit supportive housing property. Those 55 or older that are experiencing chronic homelessness can qualify to live at the site once it is completed in late 2022-early 2023.
While the council was set to discuss a $4 million deal with Family Eldercare to begin converting the property Thursday, Kelly pulled the item for a later executive session due to security concerns. But the council did approve an item to authorize city leaders to begin negotiating other renovation contracts.
"I want to thank my colleagues for pumping the brakes on this contract and realizing that we owe the community not only an apology, but reassurance that the protection of the assets the city owns is vital to the success of achieving our intended goals," Kelly said.
When the building was found vandalized May 5, Kelly, who presides over the district containing the property, said damage included:
- Damage spanning all three floors of the building and is in nearly every room.
- The entire hotel was stripped of copper.
- Destroyed washers, dryers, air conditioners and electrical wiring.
- People sleeping at the hotel without permission.
On Tuesday, Austin’s Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Gray apologized and said there was no security due to a delay in processing the request.
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