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Report: Violent Crime Up 8 Percent In Hennepin County

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Violent crime is on the rise in Hennepin County, according to a new report from the Hennepin County Sheriff's office.

Officials say the number of violent crimes in January through June of this year are up 8 percent from that same time period last year. In particular, homicides -- which include both manslaughter and murder -- are up 37 percent.

The report defines violent crime as murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Each of those individual categories also increased during the same time period except for one: "person-on-person robberies," according to the Sheriff's office.

A press release from the Sheriff's office says many metro areas across the country are experiencing similar rises in crime -- most more so than Hennepin County. It also says the county is experiencing a historically low rate in violent crimes, when compared with recent years.

Even so, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek called the new statistics, "troubling," and says he has redirected and rededicated resources to target violent offenders.

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