Slight Increase In Baton Rouge Murders In 2012

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Baton Rouge experienced a 4.7 percent increase in the number of murders in 2012 from 2011. That's according to preliminary statistics released Tuesday by the police department.

According to unofficial statistics, police spokesman Lt. Don Kelly tells The Advocate (http://bit.ly/VteTqi) there were 67 homicides within Baton Rouge city limits in 2012, up from 64 in 2011.

That number is down from 69 homicides in 2010 and 75 in 2009.

Kelly said those numbers could change between Tuesday and when the department releases its official numbers to the FBI.

Kelly said that in the first eight months of 2012, there was an average of more than seven murders a month and that number decreased to 2.5 murders a month in the final four months.