Tulsa 2012 murder rate takes shape; down slightly from 2011

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Posted: 12/28/2012

By: Tyler Dunn

TULSA - Christmas Eve marked Tulsa's 46th murder of 2012.

With only a few days remaining until the new year, Tulsa homicides are actually down -- if only by a small margin.

"I do not know the reason for the decrease," said Tulsa police Sgt. Dave Walker. "Obviously if we did we would double whatever that is in 2013."

It seems Tulsa murders are in a downward trend, despite the city experiencing some high-profile cases in 2012.

Information provided by the Tulsa Police Department shows a de-escalation from 2009, a year 69 people were killed.

In 2010, that statistic was reduced to 58. Last year, 50.

But in comparison with other similarly sized communities, Tulsa has one of the highest murder rates in the nation, according to NeighborhoodScout.com.

City-data.com found Tulsa's violent crime rate at 592.1 for 2010, nearly 400 points above the average U.S. city.

Walker said part of the problem Tulsa faces is "a new breed of killer" that murders at a young age.

Earlier this month, a 14-year-old was arrested as the primary suspect in a Jenks murder and home invasion. Good Friday murder suspect Jake England, 20, is awaiting trial for his suspected role in the shooting of five people in north Tulsa, all of whom were black.

Several area schools have also received threats against students since the tragic shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut two weeks ago.

Several arrests of students have been made across the state, including an 18-year-old Bartlesville boy found to have a .22-caliber rifle, swords and incriminating letters at his home.

Walker said Tulsa police will be focusing on this age group moving forward.