Progressives Cruelly Discount Kansas City Homicide Numbers?!?

Recently, local policy expert Patrick Tuohey posted and tagged TKC in a very simple graph regarding the a trend line of KC homicides. 

Honestly, it was so simple we didn't think much of it. 

However . . . The response from critics of the local conservatives was telling and ACTUALLY TERRIFYING. 

The top criticisms: 

- No expression of homicides per capita basis.  (31.2 per 100,000 people -- #7 Nationwide Ranking) 

- No factoring for population. 

-  Exaggeration.

 Allow us a couple quick retorts . . . 

The fight over population is silly because all the growth has been downtown and in the Northland which don't suffer the homicides crisis impacting the East side. 

The trend line was interesting and omitted the 153 homicides in 1993 that deserves consideration and reminds us this town has a VERY LONG HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. 

However . . .

What we really learned was this . . .

Our progressive friends STILL have yet to find any semblance of rhetorical skill when it comes to debating crime without seeming soft, dismissive, ineffectual or totally naive. 

On the local level . . . 

Everyone has agreed to give the new prosecutor the benefit of the doubt for the moment and that's the correct move. 

Still . . . 

The numbers are STILL adding up this year as KC stands at 101 homicides so far this year which is about a 5% spike over last years numbers. 

Here's a recent roundup and a link back to the conversation that inspired this post . . .  

While killings dropped nearly 20% nationwide, KC saw a 12% jump, underscoring how the factors driving crime here aren't playing out everywhere else.

By the numbers: Homicides in Kansas City rose from 75 in the first half of 2024 to 84 in the same period this year, a 12% increase, per MCCA.

Rape reports increased 26%, from 134 to 169.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Patrick Tuhohey On X -- FYI: @KansasCity homicides 2000-2025 (est) by Mayor

Related . . . 

NPR: Trump's return to 'law and order' highlights a sore spot for Democrats: crime policy