Minneapolis Nears Record Homicide Count for 2021

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ Minneapolis has recorded the highest number of homicides in over 20 years amid a nationwide spike in violent crime.

The city has reported 96 homicides this year. It's just one shy of a record set in 1995.

Homicides this year doubled from the count in 2019 as the city's most diverse and low-income neighborhoods saw the bulk of the violence.

Criminologists attribute the recent nationwide violent crime to a confluence of factors, including the coronavirus pandemic, as well as conflicts over politics and race.

Shooting and armed carjacking are also on the rise.