The FBI reported on Sept. 27 that murders rose by 29.4 percent in the United States in 2020 compared to the previous year—one of the largest single-year increases ever recorded in the country’s recorded history.
The federal law enforcement agency’s data show that 21,570 homicides were reported in 2020, which is 4,901 more than in 2019. The overall violent crime rate, including murders, assault, rape, and robbery, was up by about 5 percent, while property crimes decreased by 8 percent in 2020, the data show.
