BCA Update Confirms Spike In Violent Crimes Statewide In 2020, With Murders Up 58%

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has released its report on crimes committed in the state during 2020 and found a 16.6% increase in violent crimes from the previous year.

Of those, there were 185 murders in 2020 statewide, compared with 117 in 2019, representing an increase of about 58%.

Another crime that rose significantly in 2020 compared to the previous years: bias crimes. There were 223 incidents recorded by the BCA, which stands as the highest number seen in 15 years, according to the agency. Two in every five bias crimes were motivated by anti-Black bias, the BCA said.

There were 710 incidents of arson reported in 2020, which follows a number of years of a downward trend in that category. Motor vehicle thefts also rose in 2020 by close to 20%, with 13,662 vehicles stolen. That's the highest total recorded since 2005.

The BCA reported that a few categories of crime saw decreases last year, including human trafficking and rape.

Minnesota Rep. Brian Johnson, who is the public safety lead from the Republican caucus, said he was "deeply troubled" by the BCA's 2020 report.

"The Legislature took steps this year to address the rise in officer involved shootings and to improve training and use of force standards, but did little to address the significant spikes in crime that impacted the lives of thousands of Minnesotans," Johnson said. "The House GOP put forward numerous proposals to combat violent crime, but they were rejected by Democrats who instead focused on reducing consequences for criminals."

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• Rape