Chicago's Grim 38% Murder Spike

Following reports of Memorial Day weekend murders and violence during regular weekends in the Windy City, it really comes as no surprise to read in The New York Times that Chicago is having a terrible 2012, as far as its murder rate goes.

Following reports of Memorial Day weekend murders and violence during regular weekends in the Windy City, it really comes as no surprise to read in The New York Times that Chicago is having a terrible 2012, as far as its murder rate goes. According to The Times' Monica Davey, 240 people have been killed in the city as of June 17, a 38 percent jump from the same period last year. No wonder then that the first email Rahm Emanuel reads in the morning is the CPD's crime report from the night before.

It's troubling and curious because, as Davey reports, "rapes, robberies, burglaries and auto thefts" are each down in Chicago and cities like New York's and Los Angeles are experiencing year-to-year murder rate declines. Why only murders and why only Chicago among America's top three metros? One factor, per Davey: "a majority of the killings have been tied to Chicago's increasingly complicated gang warfare."