Despite a steady drumbeat of wishful thinking by politicians and local media over the last year claiming crime was trending down, the city of Minneapolis ended 2024 with more murders than the prior year, and violent crime up over 2023 in most categories—and still far above 2019 levels.
The city ended 2024 with 76 murders and non-negligent manslaughter cases, up from 72 in 2023, according to the Minneapolis Police Crime Dashboard. The figure does not include an additional eight negligent manslaughter cases and two justifiable homicides, for a total of 86 homicides in 2024. The north side and south side of Minneapolis were nearly tied in the number of homicides, with 36 and 35, respectively. Downtown accounted for 12 of the homicides, while just three occurred in the Second Precinct area, which comprises northeast, southeast and the University of Minnesota areas.
Comparatively, Minneapolis had 48 murders in 2019 (pre-Covid shutdowns and pre-George Floyd riots), with an additional six negligent manslaughter cases, meaning 2024 Minneapolis murders were up nearly 60% over 2019.
Overall, violent crime, which includes crimes like murder, assault, robbery, and weapons, was up in 2024 over 2023, according to the MPD dashboard.
Minneapolis appears to be an outlier with its increase in violent crime, compared to significant drops in violent crime across the nation, which included a 16% drop in homicides nationwide.
Former Minnesota Democratic House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler even made note on X (formerly Twitter) of the alarming data connected to Minneapolis murders that indicate the perpetrators of violent crimes are getting younger and younger.
State and local governments in MN are not performing their most basic functions in many ways. This murder data proves it. Elected officials need to deal with reality, not just repeat talking points from self-serving interest groups.https://t.co/vfLpmQyTQg pic.twitter.com/PenYS1His9
— Ryan Winkler (@_RyanWinkler) January 3, 2025
Winkler opined that “state and local governments in MN are not performing their most basic functions in many ways. This murder data proves it.” Winkler went on to say that “elected officials need to deal with reality, not just repeat talking points from self-serving interest groups.”
Winkler’s tweet referenced a report in the Minnesota Reformer that suggested a link between crime and chronic truancy in Minneapolis. The report stated that more than half of Minneapolis school students are chronically absent from class, missing more than 10% of the school year, according to state data. The report indicated that Minneapolis’ absenteeism rate is well above the national average, and is even higher among black students.
Crime in all categories was up in 2024 in Minneapolis versus all prior years up to and including 2019. The city ended 2024 with 47,185 crimes in all categories, an increase of just under 10% over 2019, which had 42,989 total crimes reported.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that St. Paul ended the year with 32 homicides, down one from the year prior, and down from 40 in 2022.
– – –
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
