More than two-thirds of Dallas’ murder victims this year have been black as the city continues to suffer from a lack of adequate police resources.
According to the City of Dallas victim demographics dashboard, there have been 55 murders committed within the city limits as of April 5. Some 37 of the victims were logged as black by authorities, which accounts for 67.3% of all murders in 2024 thus far.
Of the 37 black victims, the overwhelming majority were men or boys, with female victims making up only a 10.8% share. The youngest black victims were two 16-year-old boys, and the oldest was an 80-year-old woman. The elderly woman was murdered in Council Member Carolyn King Arnold’s District 4 in southern Dallas.
District 4 tied with Council Member Tennell Atkins’ District 8, which is also in southern Dallas, for most black murder victims logged, with each council district clocking nine of such victims. Council Member Adam Bazaldua’s District 7 had the next-highest figure at four victims.
Hispanic victims made up a smaller share of this year’s murder victims, comprising 25.4% of the total, followed by white victims, who constituted 7.3%. At present, the City’s demographics dashboard does not feature any murder victims of Asian or Middle Eastern descent.
Dallas’ murder rate increased by 15% last year amid the Dallas Police Department’s ongoing labor shortage. While a City report previously recommended a force of roughly 4,000 officers to properly maintain public safety, DPD fields only around 3,000. The shortage’s effects have been evident in Downtown Dallas, which regularly sees more criminal activity than Fort Worth’s city center. A dedicated police unit and private security guards patrol the latter.
Still, the Dallas City Council only approved a budget of $654 million for DPD this fiscal year, opting to spend considerably less on its law enforcement operations than other high-crime jurisdictions like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.