Homicides and violent crime in Little Rock decreased in 2023

Little Rock, Arkansas – An investigation into a homicide has begun in Little Rock for the first time in about four weeks due to the discovery of a body in an abandoned structure this morning.

Someone reportedly called the Little Rock Police Department just before 7:30 in the morning to report the body that was located in an empty facility that used to be a Pizza Hut on McMath Drive, which is located between Interstate 30 and McArthur Park.

On Monday morning, the area where homicide detectives from the Little Rock Police Department went to work was cordoned off with crime scene tape. That was only a few feet away from the playground that Brittany Garner and her kid frequented.

“You just think you’re going to a nice park, and then it is upsetting,” Garner said as she watched police leave the scene.

The extent of the man’s injuries, which may have contributed to his passing, could not be determined by the officers that responded to the scene. As of Monday, there have been seven documented killings in the city in 2023, which is roughly half of the 12 that have been registered since March 6, 2022.

The most recent weekly crime statistics published by police through February 7, 2023, revealed a 13% decrease in violent crime overall in the capital city compared to 2022. These numbers covered the period from January 1 through February 7.

This pattern may be seen in the most populous cities around the country. According to police reports, the number of homicides committed so far this year has decreased by 17% in New York City, 18% in Chicago, and 33% in Los Angeles.

As compared to cities of a similar size as Little Rock, Birmingham has seen a 35% decrease in the number of homicides, going from 20 in 2022 to 13 in 2023. Nonetheless, Shreveport is experiencing an increased trend, with 13 homicides year to year, which represents an 8% increase when compared to 12 at this time in 2022.

Robert Pelegrin, who lives down the street from the location of Little Rock’s most recent strange death, finds the decline to be of little consolation.

“I guess we’ll see what the cause of death is, but either way, there will definitely be an eerie feeling going around the area,” Pelegrin said.

Both he and Garner encourage people to be aware of their surroundings and keep a lookout for suspicious activity to prevent their community from becoming a target for criminals.

“When you see that in the background obviously, it does make you think twice,” Garner said.

The identity of the individual who was killed has not been made public by the police as of this moment. There have been no reports of any arrests being made. The body has been transported to the state crime lab, and the authorities anticipate receiving the results before the end of the week.