UPDATE: 1:12 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. — While violent gun crimes saw a major drop in the first two months of this year in Peoria, police still have a lot of open murder cases left over from last year to solve.
Peoria police case records obtained by WMBD News show only 9 murder cases are closed from 20-21.
Last year saw a record total of 34 homicides in Peoria.
It amounts to a total case closure rate last year — of about 26-percent.
It’s a contrast to Thursday’s more encouraging news that a newer anti-violence initiative by Peoria Police has resulted in far fewer shooting incidents, victims and murders.
ORIGINAL STORY:
PEORIA, Ill. — A local police crack-down on violent criminals appears to be working.
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echavarria says rates of violent gun crime in the city have cratered in the last two months when compared to the same period last year.
He says the rate of shooting icidents is down more than 70-percent from the same time last year.
He says the number of shooting victims is down 65-percent and the number of murders is down 20-percent from a year ago.
“We are seeing the numbers trending in the right direction and we’re going to continue to push our initiative.”
The Chief says a combination of good enforcement as well as good community engagement has led to this more recent reduction in violent crime.
In January, Echavarria announced his new initiative, telling violent criminals to watch out.
