KILLING RATE BEGINS TO SLOW YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL IS 422.Byline: James Nash Staff Writer For the first time in months, the murder rate in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. has slowed, bringing the numbers in line with 2003 levels, which will give police a chance to lower the rate in the remaining months of the year, Police Chief William Bratton said Tuesday. The year-to-date toll of 422 equals the number during the same period last year, reversing a trend during which homicides hovered slightly above 2003 rates for most of the spring and summer. The murder rate was an aberration among other crime statistics. From assaults to break-ins, all major categories of crime were down from last year's levels, but murders remained stubbornly stub·born adj. stub·born·er, stub·born·est 1. a. Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bullheaded. b. Firmly resolved or determined; resolute. See Synonyms at obstinate. 2. above the 2003 level. The trend caused Bratton to concede that the Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . would not meet his goal of reducing homicides by 20 percent
from last year's level. In addition, the trend in murders emerged
as the most contentious issue in the 2005 mayoral race, with opponents
of Mayor James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see .James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California - who appointed Bratton - saying the failure to reduce homicides reflected poorly on the mayor. On Tuesday, Bratton said violent crime was down 14.1 percent from 2003 levels and property crimes were down 9.8 percent. Bratton did not comment on the murder statistics during his presentation to the Los Angeles Police Commission, and commissioners did not celebrate the news. Interviewed afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here , Commission President David S. Cunningham III said the positive news on homicides was shadowed by the human toll of murders, particularly the recent fatal shooting of a boy riding his bicycle. On Oct. 9, a 14-year-old boy was shot 19 times while riding his bicycle through his South Los Angeles South Los Angeles is the official name for a large geographic and cultural area lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central Los Angeles, and is still sometimes called South Central. neighborhood. The execution-style shooting of Byron Lee sparked fresh outrage in an area of the city long plagued by gangs and violence. Byron was the 417th murder victim of the year. ``My mantra mantra (măn`trə, mŭn–), in Hinduism and Buddhism, mystic words used in ritual and meditation. A mantra is believed to be the sound form of reality, having the power to bring into being the reality it represents. with this most recent killing is that one life is too many,'' Cunningham said. ``We're moving in the right direction. I'll certainly give Chief Bratton high marks in that area, but we have a lot of work to do.'' James Nash, (213) 978-0390 james.nash(at)dailynews.com |
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