Hennepin Co. Sheriff: Violent Crime Increase Part Of National Trend
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Statistics released Friday show violent crime is increasing in Minnesota's most populous county.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says there was an 8-percent increase in violent crime between 2014 and 2015.
Those crimes include homicide, rape and aggravated assault.
There were 20 more homicides in 2015 compared to 2014, 99 more rapes and 313 more aggravated assaults.
"The violent crime increase is a national trend, not just local, making the issue a bigger challenge for law enforcement, and all of us," Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said. "We will continue to work with our community partners, such as businesses and residents, to develop strategies to ensure residents are engaged in prevention."
While business robberies and motor vehicle thefts have also increased, several crimes have seen a decrease between 2014 and 2015: business and residential burglaries, larceny and arson.