In Memphis, Tennessee, there are plenty of homicides in the year, but this year has caught the eye of people reading over the statistics because it’s at the highest homicide count since the year 1993 at 213 homicides. This year 200 men, women, and children were murdered in Memphis and there is still a month left in the year.

“I’m outraged that senseless murders continue to happen,” said Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland in an email responding to the 200th homicide. From a woman delivering pizzas to a young boy beaten to death by his father, police do what they can to stop the violence. Sixteen out of the 200 were ruled justifiable and no charges were filed. In 2015, the city recorded 161 homicides with 138 ruled criminal and 23 ruled justifiable. Firearms are involved in 83% of the homicides. This is the first year since 1993 that the homicide total reached 200. Some died in arguments, confrontations with the police, robberies, and burglaries. The devotion of the police force to stop the homicides is very precise, but random tragedies throughout the city leads them to failure. Others were innocent bystanders killed on the streets, in cars, homes, apartments, and in parks.

Senseless killing in Memphis has been a problem for many years, but it just touched the surface of many people’s conscious as the total homicide rate in 2016 reaches 200 people. The homicide rate is suspected to grow in the next couple months as racial tension continues to rise following the recent election.

The worst part is the lack of justice served to the participants of the homicides; 44% were unsolved. After Minor-Byers husband was shot and killed due to gang affiliation,  the woman said, “My kids miss their dad, I miss my husband, and we want justice.”

The senseless murders and crimes committed in Memphis are common, but this level is outrageous. People, regular working class people that are trying to get to their jobs, or even kids that want to go to college are shot in the street by gangs and anarchists.