Year End Calculus
A short Stack to illustrate how the year-end totals are accounted for and how best to compare this year to years past.
Past year-end totals reflected on this site account for resolved death investigations, found bodies, and late passings that can and will occur for many years after the clock strikes midnight on Jan 1st. We apply those incidents toward the time of occurrence, not the date of death. Other agencies, such as the CPD, choose to add those resolved death investigations, found bodies, and late passings to the year in which the death was recorded.
2021 Then and Now
Looking back at 2021, when the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2022, the final totals for 2021 were:
Shot & Killed: 793
Shot & Wounded: 3,749
Total Shot: 4,542
Total Homicides: 845
Over the past year, the totals have shifted as additional homicides have been recorded:
Shot & Killed: 798 (+5)
Shot & Wounded: 3,745 (-4)
Total Shot: 4,543 (+1)
Total Homicides: 855 (+10)
2016 Then and Now
2016 showed a similar pattern and eventually broke the 800 barrier as 2017 progressed. On January 1st 2017, the final totals for 2016 were:
Shot & Killed: 713
Shot & Wounded: 3,665
Total Shot: 4,378
Total Homicides: 795
Over time, those totals have been slowly adjusted to show:
Shot & Killed: 722 (+9)
Shot & Wounded: 3,658 (-7)
Total Shot: 4,380 (+2)
Total Homicides: 808 (+13)
2022 and Beyond
Wherever 2022 finishes on January 1st, it will be the third consecutive year and only the fourth time this century Chicago cracks the 700+ homicides barrier. Subsequent years will only add to the final totals.
Also, expect some strutting by the Non-Essentials as they declare success for not besting last year’s total shitshow with a slightly less shitty shitshow. Three consecutive years of 700+ homicides is the new 450 homicides.
If you have made it this far, thanks for reading. Our goal is to push out one long-form post a week in addition to our regular stats-focused posts. And just to be clear, “We don't want nobody nobody sent.”