By Gabriel Nadales and Paul Parisi
Crime has tragically risen sharply in cities all across the country since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic — Tucson is no exception. Just last week, a double homicide took place near Ajo Way. Earlier this week, there was a shooting near Fort Lowell. These senseless acts of violence in Tucson are unfortunately all too common these days.
A new report published by Our America notes that Tucson shattered its record number of homicides in 2021. While homicides thankfully decreased in 2022, they were still up 12 from the city’s five-year average. In addition, nonfatal gun-related crime rose 19% from 2021 to 2022.
Even though murders have declined from a record high, that is not an excuse for public officials to become complacent, as they still remain higher than normal. There is still much work to be done.
