Police report increase in shootings, carjackings

York Regional Police are reporting a surge in some violent crimes including, homicides, shootings and carjackings, the police chief said Tuesday.

- JASON MILLER

Chief Jim MacSween said his jurisdiction has seen a 92 per cent increase in shootings to date, a total of 46 since the start of the year.

Coupled with the spike in gun activity York police have also seen a 106 per cent jump in carjackings (a total of 64), compared to the same time frame last year.

“This is definitely distressing,” he said Tuesday. “The trend in violent crime is a major concern.”

Equally troubling, the chief said, over a five-year period there has been a 400 per cent increase in carjackings, “which are violent and traumatizing for victims.”

There have been 15 homicides this year, five since July 25, “which is causing the community much concern,” the chief said. That is compared to eight this time last year, the chief said. Police are also calling on the public to assist them in identifying and reporting gender-based violence, as they say that several of the homicides stemmed from intimate partner conflicts.