Larger Michigan cities see rise in homicides in 2012

12/31/2012

DETROIT — Several of Michigan's largest cities already have eclipsed last year's homicide totals.

Murders in Detroit, Saginaw and Grand Rapids are up over 2011. The 66 homicides reported through Monday morning in Flint are tied with that city's 2011 tally.

WOOD-TV reports that Grand Rapids reached its 18th homicide Saturday night. The number still is preliminary. There were 17 murders there last year, compared to nine each in 2009 and 2010. Grand Rapids recorded 23 murders in 2006.

Saginaw surpassed last year's 12 homicides by July. Through Dec. 22, there were 30 murders in the city.

Detroit recorded 344 homicides in 2011. Police reported 375 as of Dec. 16.