Data Insights: Nearly 100% More Charged Homicides in 2023 Compared to Pre-Pandemic
Last week, the Co-Chairs of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office “Most Dangerous Offender Project,” also known as “MDOP,” gave an update to the media on their work on homicide cases in King County.
MDOP Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys make up the team who respond to homicide cases 24/7, 365 days a year. Frequently, they are called on in the middle of the night to attend homicide scenes, assist detectives with search warrants, etc. The Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys who respond to these calls see the case through from start to finish, in what’s known as a vertical prosecution model.
One finding they shared was the significant increase in homicides in King County over the past four years: with nearly 100% more charged homicides in 2023 compared to April 2020, when COVID-19 related restrictions began.
The number of “callouts” (the term used for when MDOP attorneys are called to a homicide scene) have also sharply increased. In 2023, MDOP responded to a record 165 callouts.
Callout Numbers Over the Years
2022–145 callouts
2021–140 callouts
2020–146 callouts
2019–90 callouts
2018–100 callouts
2017–89 callouts
2016–68 callouts
MDOP’s work has also become more complex in recent years. Homicide cases today are far more labor intensive than they were 10 years ago because of changes in technology (the proliferation of body worn video, in car video, forensic cell phone examinations) and practice (advances in forensic science, for example).
Data on Shooting Victims and Homicides by Circumstance
According to data from the King County Medical Examiner, firearms comprised the vast majority of homicides in 2023.
Of shooting victims: 82% were people of color, 20% were ages 18–24, and 52% were ages 25–49.
Additional data from the Medical Examiner shows a 100% increase in homicides over the past decade, with 158 confirmed homicides in 2023.
The King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office’s top priority continues to be addressing people charged with repeat offenses and responding to serious, violent cases. These serious, violent cases take significantly more time and resources to prosecute compared to less serious crime types. Throughout King County, the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office is charging felony gun crimes every day, charging repeat property offenses each day, staying in constant communication with law enforcement, working proactively with community groups to prevent tragedies and recidivism, and tracking every reported gunshot with our Crime Strategies Unit as well as sharing those reports with the public.
