For Your Safety

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Crime Statistics​

​​​Released July 14, 2022
 

Crime Statistical Summary for Mid-Year​​ 2022:

    The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) gave an update on its mid-year crime report and trends for 2022. Overall crime is up 4% compared to this time last year. Property crime is up 6% from 2021, while violent crime is up 3% in incidents, but down 2% in the number of victims from 2021.

    The total aggregate numbers for these percentage changes are below (through June 30):
    • Overall index offenses reported in 2022 are 18,910 compared to 18,129 in 1st half of 2021.
    • Violent crime incidents reported in 2022 are 2,604 compared to 2,528 in 1st half of 2021.
    • Violent crime victims reported in 2022 are 3,663 compared to 3,748 in 1st half of 2021.
    • Property crimes reported in 2022 are 15,247 compared to 14,381 in 1st half of 2021.

    The department saw declines across some major categories. Rapes (down 24%) and Aggravated Assaults (down 2%) have both fallen in 2022.

    This report shows increases in several categories. Homicides (up 8%), Robberies (up 5%), Burglary (up 23%), and Vehicle Thefts (up 10%) have risen in 2022.

    While the bulk of the rise in total crime is attributed to a significant increase in property crime, the CMPD is also concerned about the slight rise in violent crime and in particular, shooting incidents. Assaults with a firearm have risen more than 25% in Charlotte over a 5-year average. The suspects committing these shootings in recent years have been trending younger.

    Division captains and members of the Crime Gun Suppression Team have advised they are seeing children as young as 13 armed and routinely committing shootings. In most cases, these children are not prosecuted as adults and end up being released back to their caretakers where they go on to re-offend.

    This process of catch and release with juvenile suspects is frustrating and disheartening to both officers and the communities affected by the violence.

    Since the beginning of 2022, at least 118 juveniles have been suspects of firearm-related offenses. In addition, there have been at least 482 juvenile victims of firearm-related crimes.

    Two recent cases highlight some of the dangers that armed children are posing to the community:
      In early July, a 14-year-old removed an electronic monitoring device after committing an armed robbery. The teen had active warrants out for his arrest. He went on to commit three separate shootings into occupied properties over the course of July 4th and the 5th. This same 14 -year-old went on to drive a stolen car taken from one of the shooting scenes. When approached by officers on July 5th, the 14-year-old along with a 16-year-old and 17-year-old led officers on a pursuit that went into Cornelius – driving incredibly recklessly and at speeds that exceeded 100 miles per hour. All three suspects were apprehended thankfully before they could seriously hurt someone. The incident report number for the pursuit is 20220705-1440-01.

      In early June, officers arrested two brothers – ages 15 and 17 for possession of firearms. They attend West Charlotte High School. The teens were turned back over to their family. The very next week on June 15, the teens fired weapons in the middle of their apartment complex on Southwest Boulevard, hitting an apartment and 8 vehicles. The apartment had children inside that thankfully weren’t hit by bullets. However, an 11-year-old inside one of the vehicles was hit. That 11-year-old was taken to the emergency room in life-threatening condition. The incident report number for this case is 20220615-2126-04. These are just two examples of many similar cases that officers are encountering on a weekly basis.


    Firearms getting into the hands of teens is a worsening issue in the Charlotte community. The most common avenue for obtaining a firearm by these young suspects is through theft. Parents and caregivers are not properly locking up their firearms at home. Community members are leaving firearms inside their cars – and in many instances unlocked – where firearms are easily stolen. Since the beginning of 2022, at least 500 firearms have been stolen from cars in Charlotte.

    We need the community’s help to combat this problem. Here are a few quick tips to help protect your firearm, family, and community:
    • Always lock your car and take your keys with you and make sure your windows are closed when you park.
    • Park in well-lit areas if possible.
    • Never leave valuables in your vehicle, especially if they can be seen from outside the vehicle – that’s especially important for any firearms.
    • Parents or guardians – Know where your child is and what they’re doing.

    The CMPD offers more than 25 programs that specifically engage with juveniles and aims to give them structure and lessons to obtain important life skills.

    CMPD’s Youth Diversion Program diverts first-time juvenile offenders, ages 10-17, who commit lower-level offenses, away from the traditional criminal justice system. The participants undergo months of full-day classes, aimed at building life skills and succeeding in school and within society.

    More than 4,000 juveniles have been successfully diverted by the CMPD since the start of the program in 2013.


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