Baltimore City Records 344 Homicides In 2015

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The city of Baltimore ended the year with a record 344 homicides.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the tally is second only to the 353 homicides recorded in 1993, when the city had about 100,000 more residents.

The homicide rate in Baltimore began to skyrocket in May following a period of civil unrest after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who died from injuries suffered in police custody. The city saw 42 homicides in that month. There was a brief dip in June, with 29 killings, however the number shot up again in July, when the city recorded 45 homicides. It was the single bloodiest month since 1972.

The city hit the 300 homicide mark in November.