Update on 1/2/12 — Arlington County has indeed recorded a murder-free year in 2011. It is the first year on record without a reported homicide in Arlington. Available police records started in 1960.
Earlier: If Arlington can go 36+ hours without a homicide, it will be the first year since at least the 1950s without a single recorded murder in Arlington County.
Available police records, which go back to 1960, show at least one homicide has been reported in each of the past 51 years. In fact, there have been 273 homicides in Arlington since 1960 — for an average of about 5.4 homicides per year.
The number of homicides in Arlington has declined since the early 1990s. In the six years between 1990 and 1995, there were 56 homicides in Arlington. Between 2006 and 2011, there have been 13 homicides, as illustrated below.
- 2006: 4
- 2007: 2
- 2008: 4
- 2009: 2
- 2010: 1
- 2011 (as of Dec. 29): 0
The District of Columbia is also experiencing a decline in murders. With 108 reported homicides as of Dec. 29, the District is on track to have the lowest murder tally since 1963.
Related Posts
- Trial Date Set in Diener Murder Case November 30, 2011
- BREAKING NEWS — Arrests Made in 2009 Murder June 13, 2011
- Arlington Rapist Charged with 2009 Murder May 27, 2011
- Arlington Man Charged With Murder in Pershing Drive Stabbing March 15, 2010
Oh man, you just had to say it, didn’t you?
Hm, really?
Carl Diener was killed in 2009, OK.
In an apartment building on Columbia Pike, I know an Ethiopian man killed his wife but I don’t know if that was 2010 or 2011. Seems like that’s not being counted.
And I supposed the hit and run on Route 50 (Zorigoo Munkhbayar) doesn’t count as a murder? What was the charge?
well we have a new contender for most irrelevant comment of the year.
Tabby remains in FIRST place (as of 29 Dec 11) for most irrelevant comment….will it last??
Meet you at the Regal Beagle later, Larry. Your shout.
An excellent Three’s Company flashback.
I think you have to *intend* to kill someone in order to be charged with murder. Accidentally killing someone would be typically be considered manslaughter.
File under “Things I Learned from Watching TV”
You can get murder by vehicle, depending on the circumstances (DUI or reckless driving, for instance). Depends on the jurisdiction and I’ll let someone else look it up.
I did it. That is still considered manslaughter (involuntary in the case of DUI or reckless driving). It’s not murder unless there was malice aforethought where you premeditatedly decided to kill someone. Even situations where you were incited to purposely kill someone are manslaughter if it was spontaneous (of the voluntary kind), assuming the jury believes an “ordinary person” would be incited to “sudden and intense passion” such that he/she loses self-control. Obviously, in real life a lot of things we’d probably all consider murder get plead down to a manslaughter charge, but either way, manslaughter is definitely not murder.
I believe Virginia has depraved heart murder, i.e. intent to kill isn’t required and extreme recklessness is sufficient. It’s unlikely that it applies here though.
The murder you refer to is from 2008: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/Police/news/printarticle.asp?ID=565
The pedestrian’s death was charged as a hit and run: http://news.arlingtonva.us/pr/ava/update-police-arrest-driver-in-217818.aspx?ncid=28381
2008 feels like yesterday.
It’s official: the world is spinning too fast.
Were more charges ever filed in the pedestrian death that was included in the top 10 stories of the year?
I don’t think so – his court hearings only mention the felony charge. You can look those up here: http://epwsgdp1.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/nameSearch.do?fromSidebar=true&formAction=searchLanding&searchDivision=T&searchFipsCode=013
Way to go an jinx it.
I was thinking the exact same thing!
Way to go and jinx it
Bank Robberies, on the other hand, are another story . . .
yeah, they are just like speeding…
As are sexual assaults.
DC dropped as did Arlington but check the stats for Prince George & Charles Co in Md and Prince William here in Va
You will see in increase — Wonder Why ?????
OverCapitalization and Hyper-punctuation????
I really can not see any link in those three counties taken as a whole. While Prince William and Prince George’s counties trace their namesakes back through the lineage of the House of Hanover, Prince Charles county’s heritage is from the Barony of Baltimore, which is of the Irish Peerage.
I am truly perplexed to not see the common thread.
hah… geeeeeeeek.
kind of amazing for a county of 200k…
’cause when there’s killin’ to be done, we take it across the river….
If someone would just murder a bank robber tonight, we’d have nothing more to talk about here. Anybody up for it? My choice of murder weapon, a blackmarket Ray’s Cheesesteak.
Steak and Cheese.
Arlington County. Where you can walk down the street without thinking of being murdered, but beware a visit to the bank.
or smokin in the park.
I’m not an actuarial scientist but I believe the drop in murders is inversely correlated to the rise in fro-yo/cup-cakeries. Now I just need to talk to Ol’ Mcdonald about the chicken or egg dilemma.
Cupcakes produces endorphins; endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill people. They just don’t!
Cupcakes are a Gateway Dessert. Just sayin.’
HA! Still a funny film
my ex almost got my fanny
Maybe no murders, technically, but haven’t we had at least one death related to an Arlington police tasering? I know there have been at least two in the last 18 months or so. Both suspected shoplifters.
Nope, those were in 2010.
I think we’ve also had countless suicides, heart attack deaths, and elderly people dying of natural causes. What’s that have to do with the price of rice in China?? The article is about HOMICIDES. If someone gets hurt while shoplifting and fighting the “po-po”, I guess it goes to show that crime doesn’t pay. Now use your head.
Man I love this county!!
What about the County Board killing public input concerning its new $39 million homeless shelter?
Word is we “made it”. Zero.
weeee
had to come back to check. Great news!!