New Orleans homicide rate reaches 14-year high following fatal shooting near hotel

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A man was fatally shot on Friday in New Orleans, marking the city's 201st homicide of the year, a 14-year high in the total number of homicides in Louisiana's most populous city.

The shooting, according to NOLA.com, occurred near the Pontchartrain Hotel and was the second homicide that day, causing disruptions to the establishment.

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The 201st homicide matched the city's 2020 homicide record. Prior to 2020, that number had not been reached since 2007, according to FBI records.

The Big Easy has witnessed a surge in crime over the last year, falling in lockstep with a growing trend of crime across many American cities.

The Metropolitan Crime Commission reported carjackings are up 160% from 2019-2021, with homicides and shootings up 80 percent and 100 percent respectively.

A man pulls a cart down a mostly deserted Bourbon Street in the French Quarter as the early effects of Hurricane Ida are felt, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

"According to FBI UCR data, violent crime is up significantly in Louisiana," said New Orleans FBI Special Agent in Charge Doug Williams.

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New Orleans' WWL4 reports the New Orleans Police Department "continues to shrink," noting a loss of "140 officers so far this year while only hiring 41 new officers."

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, a significant spike in crime was documented across America as the Black Lives Matter movement rose to prominence and calls grew to defund the police. Earlier this year, the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice released data that showed a sharp rise in homicides in 2020. Another report notes that murders had increased 16% across major cities from May 2020 to May 2021.