BCA Releases 2023 Crime Report

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has released the 2023 Uniform Crime Report. 

The crime data summary says Minnesota saw a 6.9 percent decrease in violent crime last year. Violent crime in greater Minnesota decreased by 3.4 percent. Violent crime in the seven-county Twin Cities Metro Area decreased by 8.2 percent. There were 181 murders in Minnesota in 2023 compared with 182 in 2022. There were 9,986 aggravated assaults in 2023, which is 3.4 percent lower than 2022. 

Peace officers were assaulted in 961 incidents in 2023, a 0.9 percent increase from 2022. Law enforcement use-of-force incidents involving discharge of a firearm dropped in 2023 to 16, two fewer than in 2022. Minnesota agencies reported 21 use-of-force incidents in 2023, the same number as there were in 2022. 

There were 2,053 rapes in 2023, a decrease of 11.85 percent. Most of the rapes occurred in a home (72.6 percent) and 40.5 percent of the victims were minors. 

Motor vehicle theft decreased 6.8 percent in 2023 with 15,612 vehicles stolen as compared to 16,743 in 2022. Carjacking incidents decreased 37.8 percent with 372 incidents in 2023, compared with 598 in 2022. Carjacking incidents are not counted as motor vehicle thefts. 

There were 72,701 incidents of larceny in 2023, which is the lowest number in more than five decades. 

Bias crimes rose in 2023 with 180 incidents reported. 

The complete 2023 Uniform Crime Report can be found on the BCA website.