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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Did the US see an increase in murders during the first half of 2020?

By Lauralei Singsank
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YES

According to FBI data, the number of murders and non-negligent manslaughters increased by 14.8% in the first six months of 2020 from the same period a year earlier. For all of 2019, the FBI reported 14,185 murders in the U.S., the third consecutive annual decline. If the reported 2020 increase continues through the second half, the annual murder total would be the highest since the late 1990s.

Aggravated assaults were up 4.6% compared to January-June 2019, although all other forms of violent crime decreased.

A private research group, looking at data from 27 U.S. cities, found a 53% year-on-year rise in homicides between June and August. The group said rates were subdued until the civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and called for pursuing proved crime-control strategies while both subduing the coronavirus pandemic and enacting police reforms.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
FBI: Overview of preliminary Uniform Crime Report for first half of 2020
FBI Crime Data Explorer: Expanded homicide counts in US, 1985-2019
National Council on Criminal Justice: COVID-19 and crime (Sept. 26, 2020)
National Council on Criminal Justice: COVID-19 and crime (July 28, 2020)
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.