LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore today briefed the police commission on how Los Angeles' increase in homicides compares to other major cities across the U.S., saying it was a ``small comfort'' that the number of shooting victims and homicides has not risen as sharply as in other cities.
``The vast majority of American major cities are seeing an increase in shooting violence and increase in homicides,'' Moore said.
Los Angeles has experienced a 15.17% increase in homicides from last year and a 51% increase over a two-year period. Meanwhile, over the two-year period:
-- Chicago has seen a 60% increase in homicides
-- Houston a 78% increase
-- Philadelphia a 57% increase
-- Oakland a 79% increase
-- Portland a 109% increase
-- San Francisco a 53% increase
``I take small comfort in the fact that we're not increasing at the same rate some others are. That's only a small comfort when we recognize the number of shooting victims this year over a two-year period are up 54%. That's a striking number of additional shooting victims,'' Moore said.