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Dallas murders up, violent crime down, FBI stats show
There have been 208 murders in the City of Dallas so far this year. At this time last year, there were 184 murders. FOX 4's Shaun Rabb sits down with the Special Agent in Charge of FBI Dallas for how the bureau is working to fight violent crime.
DALLAS - The Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI says its most important mission is combating violent crime and gun crimes.
The FBI released its 2022 nationwide violent crime report last week.
It shows homicides in Dallas are still up, while other types of violent crimes and gun crimes are down.
Nationwide, murders are down according to the data.
Across the Dallas Division of the FBI the press on the street is to try and markedly impact violent crime.
"Violent crime is at the top of the list. It is causing significant impact on our neighborhoods throughout our communities," said Chad Yarbrough, the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI.
Dallas recorded three more homicides over the weekend.
So far this year, the city has seen 208 murders.
Last year at this time, there were 184 murders.
Overall, gun crimes are down more than 12 percent, but in many of the violent crimes the guns being used are stolen.
"That's obviously a huge concern for us," Yarbrough said.
Yarbrough says his agents are seeing so-called "glock switches" which tun semi-automatic firearms to fully automatic.
"We've encountered those even more and more frequently this past year," he said.
Yarbrough also says repeat offenders, who should not have guns, are stealing them or buying them illegally.
"We're leaning in on federal prosecutions and making sure we're going after those violent offenders who are caught with firearms and working with the ATF and other federal partners to target those offenders who have that criminal history and we know to be committing violent crimes," he said.
Equally concerning, teenagers caught up in dangerous and deadly behavior.
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"We're definitely seeing an uptick in juveniles who are victims of violent crime and, with my view here in Dallas, I'm seeing that we are seeing an uptick in violent crime in general by juveniles," Yarbrough noted.
The Special Agent in Charge says it is not only the juvenile system, but society, that has to do a better job to try and break the cycle of teens in trouble.
"Whether it be proactive programs and community outreach to reach those youth before they commit that crime, or whether that's trying to prosecute those individuals who have committed that violence, we have to be leaning in on both of those options," said Yarbrough.
For adults with a criminal history caught up in violent crime, especially using guns, those people are being tried in the federal system when possible and serving the full time of their sentence without early parole.