BC’s annual murder rate has more than doubled in a decade, according to a new Stats Canada report.
BC was second only to Ontario last year in recorded homicides, at 155. That’s more than double the number of homicides in 2013, which have generally been increasing year after year.
Stats Canada says one in four homicides are gang-related, with most of those involving handguns. In another report, the agency says there is not much information available to trace handguns used in murders, making it tough to tell if they were stolen, illegally purchased, or smuggled into the country.
The report points out an alarming new trend, an increase in people under 18 being accused of homicide. There were 90 youth accused last year, the highest since 2006.
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