Fact check: How many murders in the United States in 2024

1. Summary of the results

Based on the FBI crime data for 2024, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter decreased by 14.9% compared to the previous year ^{[1] [2] [3]}. The murder rate in 2024 was 5 murders per 100,000 inhabitants ^{[1] [2]}.

However, none of the analyzed sources provide the actual total number of murders in the United States for 2024 ^{[4] [1] [5] [2] [3]}. While the sources consistently report the percentage decrease and the rate per 100,000 people, they do not include the raw numerical count that would directly answer the original question.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important pieces of context missing from the original question:

• Historical comparison: The 14.9% decrease represents a significant improvement from previous years, suggesting 2024 was part of a broader trend in crime reduction ^{[1] [2] [3]}.
• Broader crime context: Murder was not the only crime category to decrease - violent crime overall decreased by 4.5% in 2024 according to FBI reports ^[3].
• Data methodology: The sources rely on FBI reporting, but there may be variations in how different jurisdictions report and categorize homicides that could affect the total count.
• Population-adjusted perspective: While the raw number wasn't provided, the rate of 5 per 100,000 inhabitants offers a population-adjusted view that may be more meaningful for understanding crime trends ^{[1] [2]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation or bias - it is a straightforward factual inquiry. However, the inability of major news sources to provide the actual total number of murders suggests potential issues with:

• Data accessibility: Law enforcement agencies and media outlets may be emphasizing percentage changes and rates rather than raw numbers, possibly to contextualize the data more effectively or to avoid sensationalizing absolute figures.
• Reporting priorities: News organizations like CBS News, NBC News, and Al Jazeera all focused on the percentage decrease rather than total numbers ^{[1] [5] [2] [3]}, which could reflect editorial decisions about what information is most newsworthy or useful to the public.

The consistent omission of total murder counts across multiple reputable sources suggests this may be a deliberate reporting choice rather than an oversight, potentially aimed at emphasizing the positive trend rather than the absolute scale of violent crime.