Milwaukee County homicide rate exceeds highest level since 1993

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee County has reached a grim milestone. 

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office says homicide numbers now exceed the all-time record of 174 set in 1993. 

If current trends continue, the ME's office says the county is on track to have more than 200 homicides. 

After two homicides this weekend, Milwaukee County's homicide numbers now exceed the all-time record of 174 set in 1993. If current trends continue, Milwaukee County on track to log more than 200 homicides this year.

— Medical Examiner (@mkemedexamine) October 26, 2020

“It’s important to note that the fact that you’re highlighting a county number is that this isn’t just isolated to Milwaukee,” says Reggie Moore, director of Milwaukee’s Office of Violence Prevention.

Moore says the violence they’ve been seeing isn’t limited to acts of domestic violence or gang activity. His office has also been seeing an increase in random acts of violence like road rage incidents.

He says there’s a need for community members to be in tune and aware.

“Because they’re closest to every situation that happens,” says Moore. “This is either a friend or family member that is aware of a conflict that has a likelihood of escalating to a point of violence.”

It’s a call that’s echoed by community activist Tracey Dent.

“It’s time for all of us to put our difference aside and start working together because that’s the only way that we can start reducing the violence in our community,” says Dent. “We have to start the preventative measure which means that it starts at home."

In the city of Milwaukee, homicide rates are also approaching an all-time high. If trends continue, Milwaukee will likely exceed it's all-time high of 165 in 1991. As of Oct. 26, the city has reported 159 homicides. 

"This is the worst it's ever been. We’re dealing with a pandemic and now we have to live with this," says Dent. "Community activists, community leaders, and just people in general need to start working with the police, plain and simple.”

In a statement, the police department said they’re committed to working and engaging with the community to ensure all neighborhoods are safe.

“When you have over 400 people shot in a city every year, that is a lot of pain that is walking around that hasn’t been resolved,” says Moore. “We have to be a healing, informed city and look out and care for one another.”