Monday: Tulsa's homicide rate for first half of 2012
BY ZACK STOYCOFF World Staff Writer
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Tulsa’s homicide count midway though 2012 is on pace to challenge last year’s seven-year low.
The city had 26 killings through June 30, almost unchanged from midway through 2011, when 25 homicides led to an annual total of 53 — the fewest since 2004.
If the pace holds, the city would finish the year with three annual declines since it had a record 71 killings in 2009.
Increased gang enforcement and ongoing public support are at least partly responsible, Tulsa Police Department lead homicide Detective Dave Walker said.
“You’re going to see a direct correlation with how much street work our gang unit does,” he said, adding that police are heavily patrolling problem areas and rounding up known gang members for any prosecutable violations.
“If we can put them in jail, we will,” Walker said. “Basically, it’s old-fashioned police work.”
Read more in Monday's Tulsa World.
Associated Images:
A memorial to the three victims killed in the Good Friday shooting spree is pictured at 300 W 63 St. N. in Turley on Saturday. KT KING/Tulsa World
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