North Carolina Lawyers Weekly
CHARLOTTE (AP) — Homicides in Charlotte rose to a six-year high of 62 people killed in 2015.
The Charlotte Observer reports Saturday (http://bit.ly/1VwMr6z ) the deaths represent a nearly 50 percent increase over 2014, when there was an historic low 42 killings.
Authorities hope it’s an anomaly after a decade-long drop in crime nationwide.
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts says the statistics are unsettling and should be a budget priority.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney has said he plans to request more officers to keep up with population growth and rising crime. He has not detailed how many or how they would be deployed.
The ages of 2015 victims ranged from 26 days old to 68 years old. Eight killings involved domestic violence.
Two areas of the city accounted for 37 percent of the homicides.
