Atlanta crime in 2021 remained higher than pre-pandemic levels, data shows

City council member representing Buckhead takes questions on crime task force

Councilwoman Mary Norwood has been active in getting people behind her Public Safety Taskforce. Another councilwoman said the measure should be adopted for the entire city.

ATLANTA - The volume of violent crimes in Atlanta remained relatively flat in 2021 compared to data from the previous year but were still higher than pre-pandemic levels, crime data shows.

FOX 5 Atlanta analyzed the Atlanta Police Department's weekly COBRA reports. The Atlanta Police Department in 2021 reported to 21,426 Part I offenses — which include criminal homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, auto theft and arson. The figure is a less than 1% decrease from 2020 (21,601 total violent crimes).

Some specific offenses saw an uptick. Reports showed there were 158 murders in Atlanta in 2021, which passed the 2020 mark by one reported offense. The two-year total of 315 murders is a 68% increase compared to the cumulative murders two years prior to the pandemic, 187. The city recognized the high murder rate during the first full year of the pandemic.

Atlanta Police Department Chief Rodney Bryant put forth a plan to curb violent incidents after he was confirmed during Summer 2021. State lawmakers stepped in to attempt to address rising crime in the capital city.

Reported rapes saw one of the largest year-to-year increases from 2020 to 2021: 107 to 166 citywide. That figure is still lower than more than 233 reported rapes in 2019 and 225 reported in 2018. Georgia laws related to sexual assault could contribute to an under-reporting of cases.

There were 3,067 reported auto thefts in Atlanta. That 2021 figure decreased by 1.4% in 2021 compared to 2020.

Public safety leaders and lawmakers have emphasized practical gun storage as a method of addressing surges in crimes while some gun-related incidents are still on the rise. There were 750 shooting incidents reported citywide in 2021, an increase of about 6% from 2020. There were more than 200 guns seized at the Atlanta airport

APD formed a unit tasked with investigating violent crime in Summer 2021. The APD TITAN Unit responds 1,160 total arrests, including 109 felony warrant arrests. The unit seized 388 guns as evidence and 62 stolen guns. The unit executed 96 narcotics search warrants.

The Atlanta Police Department breaks down statistics by zone:

Crime in University Center, Vince City and NW Atlanta

Zone 1

Neighborhoods: Ashview Heights, University Center, Collier Heights, Hunter Hills, Vine City, Washington Park, West Lake

Total murders: 33 (24 in 2020, 27 in 2019, 31 in 2018)
Aggravated assaults: 513 (503 in 2020, 462 in 2019, 417 in 2018)
Shooting incidents: 166 (152 in 2020)

Crime in Buckhead, Lenox, West Midtown and North Atlanta

Zone 2

Neighborhoods: Buckhead, West Midtown, Lenox Park, Piedmont Heights

Total murders: 13 (9 in 2020, 8 in 2019, 12 in 2018)
Aggravated assault: 239 (200 in 2020, 154 in 2019, 124 in 2018)
Shooting incidents: 64 (49 in 2020)

Crime in Southeast Atlanta

Zone 3

Neighborhoods: Adair Park, Capitol View, Chosewood Park, Hammond Park, Joyland, Lakewood Heights, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Perkerson Park, Pittsburgh, Polar Rock, South River Gardens, Summer Hill, Thomasville Heights, Sylvan Hills

Total murders: 36 (37 in 2020, 21 in 2019, 18 in 2018)
Aggravated assault: 568 (532 in 2020, 470 in 2019, 458 in 2018)
Shooting incidents: 164 (170 in 2020)

Crime in Adamsville, West End, Greenbriar and Southwest Atlanta

Zone 4

Neighborhoods: Adamsville, Ben Hill, Campcreek Market Place, Cascade, Greenbriar, Oakland City, Princeton Lakes, Venetian Hills, West End

Total murders: 32 (41 in 2020, 24 in 2019, 16 in 2018)
Aggravated assault: 563 (512 in 2020, 478 in 2019, 436 in 2018)
Shooting incidents: 138 (150 in 2020)

Crime in Downtown, Midtown Atlanta

Zone 5

Neighborhoods: Downtown, Ansley Park, Castleberry Hill, Centennial Place, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Home Park, Midtown, Piedmont Park, Sherwood Forrest.

Total murders: 20 (28 in 2020, 8 in 2019, 8 in 2018)
Aggravated assault: 365 (327 in 2020, 286 in 2019, 230 in 2018)
Shooting incidents: 138 (107 in 2020)

Crime in Druid Hills, East Lake, Edgewood, Candler Park, Little Five Points and East Atlanta

Zone 6

Neighborhoods: Boulevard Heights, Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Druid Hills, East Atlanta, East Lake, Edgewood, Emory Village, Glenwood Park, Grant Park, Inman Park, Little Five Points, Morningside Lenox Park, Old Fourth Ward, Ormewood, Kirkwood, Poncey-Highland, Sweet Auburn, Reynoldstown, Virginia Highlands, Woodland Hills