In 2019, Gary Indiana had it’s second highest homicide rate since 1993. After two mass shootings in less than a month, Gary seems on track to rival the homicide rates it experienced in 2019 and 1993.
In 1994, US media dubbed Gary, Indiana “The Murder Capital of America.” The city had a homicide rate of 92.3 per 100k that year. The city experienced a 33% increase in homicides that year.
In 1993, 25.6% of all homicides in the entire state of Indiana occurred in Gary. Even though it was only 2.1% of the state’s population. The city was about 85% Black at the time. Today, the Black percentage is slightly lower due to an influx of Latinos. However, the overall population has been falling. For a while, the homicide rate was falling as young Blacks left the city and the average age increased. However, after the homicide rate bottomed out in 2011, it began rising again. In 2019, the city had the highest homicide rate since 1993
While Gary’s 1993 homicide rate was major national news, no one even talks about it any more. The recent back to back mass shootings were just a blip in local media.
Year: homicides (population, homicide rate)
1993: 110 (119.1k, 92.3 per 100k)
2011: 30 (79.2k, 37.8 per 100k)
2018: 40 (69.9k, 57.2 per 100k)
2019: 58 (69.5k, 83.5 per 100k)
2020: 54 (69.1k, 78.1 per 100k)
2021: 48 (68.7k, 69.9 per 100k)
Over 85% of homicides in Gary are Black on Black. However, there were at least three Black on White homicides in 2021.
According to the FBI, 63.2% of suspects arrested for murder or non-negligent manslaughter in the state of Indiana in 2020 were Black. Despite the fact that Blacks only make up about 10% of the state.
