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In Miami-Dade County Murder Rate Is Up

Increased Murder Rate Attributed To Gang Warfare

Overall Crime Is Down 6%

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Ileana Varela

Reporting

(CBS4 News) NORTH MIAMI-DADE Even though the amount of violent crimes in Miami-Dade County has gone down, the new threat facing the area is increased gang violence that turns deadly, according to a new report released by the Miami-Dade Police Department.

The good news is that overall violent crime is down 6% in Miami-Dade County, but murders are up a whopping 45%. Since January, 68 murders have occurred in Miami-Dade County. Most of the killings occurred in the north end of the county, where police say street level drug gangs are fighting for turf, killing each other and innocent bystanders alike.

Among the homicide victims is 18-month old Zaccarius Cadillon, who was gunned down outside his home in May, an attack allegedly aimed at his father, a reputed Haitian gang member arrested in a murder investigation. Another case that captured news audiences was the death of 9-year-old Sherdavia Jenkins, who was caught in a street gunfight as she played outside her Liberty City home in July.

County officials say they have countered the crime wave by stepping up enforcement and taking prisoners. The mayor pointed to a dramatically higher number of arrests.

"What we have to do is make sure that these folks that are willing to go out there and commit violent crimes are taken off the streets,? said County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. "I think the charts prove that to be the case; every arrest category, robbery, warrants, narcotics, name them, they're up significantly."

Here are some statistics comparing last year to this year's arrests:

Murder Arrests Up 8%

Robbery Arrests Up 36 %

Gang Arrests Up 27 %

Narcotics Arrest Up 35 %

The mayor and police officials say the key is to make arrests on crimes such as those listed above before they lead to murders. However, they also say the community?s participation is crucial to make the system work. Unfortunately witnesses in these crime-ridden areas are reluctant to talk to police or testify as they are afraid of gang retaliation.