April the deadliest month of 2018 in Mississippi capital

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Police say they are unsure why Mississippi’s capital city has seen a recent spike in violent crime.

Following four homicides last weekend, Jackson Police Chief Anthony Moore told press Wednesday that April was the deadliest month in an already violent start to the year. April saw 12 homicides, out of a total of 34 since the start of 2018. During the same span in 2017, Jackson saw 22 homicides.

Moore says the department has no reason to believe the weekend’s four homicides are related.

Moore says he unsure what has caused the spike. He says “it’s hard to say” whether the department’s current staffing levels could be related: With a goal to maintain a force of 500 officers, the department currently has less than 350 and plans to recruit more.

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