According to the most recent data on homicides from the National Center for Health Statistics, Mississippi's murder rate outpaces every other state in America.
Mississippi's current rate is 15 per 100,000 people. Rounding out the top five are Louisiana (13.3), Alabama (12.2), Missouri (11.4), and New Mexico (10.8). While the rates for the other states are from 2018, they represent the most recent numbers available.
Nearly 450 people have been killed in Mississippi since the start of 2020, an average of one person every 15 hours. Nearly one-fourth of the murders have occurred in the state's capital, Jackson.
This past weekend, Jackson recorded its 105th deadly shooting of the year. According to U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, the city's murder per capita rate is three times that of Chicago.
"Right now, we're on pace to hit about 128 murders," Hurst said. "To put that into context, the most the city has ever had is 92, so we are going to exceed that by 40%. We are in a real epidemic of murders, and it's important that the community comes out and gets involved so we can do this as a team together."
