Stewart: Despite Facts, Local Progressives Say Violent Crime is “Way Down”

Despite a number of independent sources reporting increases in violent crime in Tallahassee, the progressive activists in control of the Leon County Democratic Party are promoting the claim that “violent crime is way down” and attribute reports related to crime increases to right wing media manipulation.

The leader of the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee, Ryan Ray, is also the aide to Tallahassee City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow.

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The Leon County Democrats recently posted on X that “Other than mass shootings (from lax gun laws) violent crime is way down.” And added, “Certain right wing special interests want to justify more spending for themselves and ‘tough on crime’ crackdowns, so they choose scare tactics and obsess over San Francisco to manipulate the public..”

These claims come as the City of Tallahassee, the Tallahassee Democrat, and Tallahassee Reports have provided analysis of raw data that indicates violent crime was up significantly in Tallahassee in 2023.

For example, the City of Tallahassee public safety dashboard indicates violent crime is up in 2023.

The Tallahassee Democrat has tracked shootings and associated deaths for the last 5 years. The data shows that in 2017 & 18 there were a total of 123 shootings 31 deaths. The data for 2022 & 23 show a total of 191 shootings and 42 deaths.

Also, Tallahassee Reports has been compiling data from daily incidents published by the Tallahassee Police Deportment. These numbers show that violent crime in 2023 is up 13.6% when compared to 2022.

And finally, murders in Leon county were up from 21 in 2022 to 27 in 2023.

At the national level, the Council on Criminal Justice reports that violent crimes remain elevated compared to 2019, the year prior to the COVID pandemic and racial justice protests of 2020. There were 24% more homicides during the first half of 2023 than during the first half of 2019 in the study of cities.

The claims promoted by the progressives in control of the Leon DEC are an attempt to mislead and come ahead of important local elections where crime will be an issue.

Progressive leaders like City Commissioner Jack Porter, City Commissioner Jerry Matlow and Leon County Commissioner David O’Keefe – who voted for Ray in the election for chair of the DEC – should be asked about this misinformation campaign and if they believe “crime is way down.”

Steve Stewart

Steve Stewart is the founder and editor of Tallahassee Reports which began in 2009 as an online blog. Steve received a Bachelors Degree from Clemson University in 1984 and a Masters degree in Political Science from FSU in 1990. He has been involved with state and local politics since arriving in Tallahassee in 1989.

View all posts by Steve Stewart →

20 Comments

  1. Roy
    Roy

    Bad guys who want to murder do not care about gun laws. It is the least of their worries. The only way to keep bed guys feom getting guns is to get rid of every single gun. Guess what, they would still find a way either to get a gun or find another way to murder loke using their car to run into a group of defenseless people.

    Progressives and democrats will never be serious about getting rid of guns until they tell hollywood and video game makers that they can no longer make any film, show, or game that has any type of gun violence in it. Thats when i know they are serious until them sit down amd shup up.

  2. Lena
    Lena

    MAGA and DeSantis handing out guns are causing gun violence in what used to be a quiet community.

  3. It's Complicated
    It's Complicated

    Statistically, nearly all "mass shootings" in the USA are gang/thug-related, where a miscreant shows up with a gun at an event (usually a party) having been disrespected; offended; jealous; ripped off; ripping off; doesn't like what someone is wearing; etc., and indiscriminately shoots towards the intended victim with zero regard to collateral damage. This is how Chicago, with 150K gang member residents, posts such dramatic numbers week after week.

  4. WHW
    WHW

    Is it wrong that my wife and I call Police Sirens the Tallahassee Theme Song!

  5. WHW
    WHW

    That is hilarious! Whenever my wife and I go out of town and come back we make over under bets on the amount of shootings that have occurred! I usually take the over and win! As Metallica says, Sad but True!

  6. scott
    scott

    the lack of the city commissioners care about crime , they generally don't care "progressives… Mayor Dailey, Dianne Williams-Cox, and Curtis Richardson’s fiscal irresponsibility and their special interests is irresponsible."

  7. Tom
    Tom

    Wow, you didn't use the word race once..

  8. Been There - Done That
    Been There - Done That

    Rest assured that most of the people shooting and stabbing each other here in Leon County, IF they are registered to vote, are registered Democrats. Anyone know why that is a safe assumption?

  9. Edward Lyle
    Edward Lyle

    “ The claims promoted by the progressives in control of the Leon DEC are an attempt to mislead and come ahead of important local elections where crime will be an issue.”

    And there it is... in a nutshell. The Marxist Democrat’s lie, cheat, steal, and rig even their own elections. And for some evil reason, take great pride in killing innocent babies up to the moment of birth. They’re a dangerous, destructive, evil, and hate-filled lot to be sure.

    ... on THIS, the Science is Settled.

  10. Colleen Barton
    Colleen Barton

    I live in the Old Town neighborhood. I promise you crime is up. If everyone subscribed to the TPD daily e-mail on crime in their area they would be shocked. Trespassing, theft, burgulary, assaults are not uncommon.

  11. Proud Rural Redneck
    Proud Rural Redneck

    Democrats get away with making outrageous claims because of the low information voter. Think about it, the same people that believe there are more than two sexes are allowed to vote.

  12. Wonderer
    Wonderer

    I can think of at least one reason … The Big Lie.

  13. Resident Since 1990
    Resident Since 1990

    Progressives ( Liberals. Democrats) always label opposing facts as untrue, misinformation. They believe that those pesky MAGA folks are brainwashed, and must be reeducated.
    The Liberal/Progressive handbook never changes.
    Their Party is built on lies.
    Why would anyone vote for them?

  14. NE Moderate
    NE Moderate

    Raising property taxes does not help. Worsens the conditions for crime

  15. Corry Williams
    Corry Williams

    Crime might be down nationally but in Tallahassee it is increasing. Where it is increasing is area's isolated and underfunded areas of the city primarily. We can't hire enough officers and too many people want to turn a blind eye to the activity in the neighborhood to prevent crime from occuring.

  16. David T. Hawkins
    David T. Hawkins

    Yeah, don't let Facts get in the way of an Agenda.

  17. NE Moderate
    NE Moderate

    Crime is down nationally

  18. Nicholas Weed
    Nicholas Weed

    If this publication is to be fair and balanced Ignoring the progressives... Mayor Dailey, Dianne Williams-Cox, and Curtis Richardson's fiscal irresponsibility and their special interests is irresponsible. The trifecta's corruption overshadows the other progressives nonsense and is far more detrimental to the quality of life in Tallahassee.

  19. B. Better
    B. Better

    We know Soy Boy reads TR and has a history of commenting. My money goes on a response comment with a non-responsive question. as-is no logic lib tradition when they cannot defend themselves.

  20. A Skeptic
    A Skeptic

    Now, now.... This is a presidential election year. The Progressives have to paint a picture that will keep the "uneducated" voting Democrat...

    That it's false is irrelevant.

💬

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