The public is aware that the District of Columbia’s homicide rate is up compared to this time last year.

District leaders in a hope of curbing the up tick have created a “Violence Fatality Review Committee”. In the next few months they will look into the increase in homicides and also why victims are being shot multiple times.

The city’s Medical Examiner found that 57 people shot and killed in 2017 were shot several times. Sources say that total increased to 74 in 2018.

Some point to the access to illegal weapons as a cause and others say that gun magazines are holding more ammunition. The committee will look at victims, economic status, health care, housing and education and a persons interaction with attorney’s and police as it relates to the criminal justice system.

Officials hope the information collected will help them figure out the underlying problem or issue that is prompting the increase and how to prevent it in the future. The goal coincides with Mayor Bowser’s efforts to use a two prong approach in decreasing the number of homicides in the city. One being police enforcement and the other being needed health-base services.

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