HRM leading way in firearm homicides
Posted Dec 20, 2013 06:23:07 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
For the second year in a row, HRM is leading the country in firearm homicides.
This comes in spite of the fact overall homicide rates have gone down.
Halifax Regional Police Association President Mark Hartlen said the latest Statistics Canada’s Juristat report comes as no surprise to members of the association.
“Although we’ve gone down significantly in homicides, we still lead the country with respect to the likelihood of dying here by the hands of someone with a firearm,” said Hartlen.
He added this year officers were the victims of attempted murder and multiple times had to use their guns during their shift.
He said the association is quite concerned about what they see as an increase in attempted murder.
“I see it as a trend towards police officers facing lethal force situations more and more over the last couple of years and it causes us great concern as association leaders,” said Hartlen.
The report does show some improved numbers: of the 34 metropolitan areas reviewed, HRM residents move from second most likely to be the victim of a homicide in 2011 to fourth in 2012.
