Elkhart police investigated a record number of homicides in 2016. Staff and Elkhart Police Department photos
Elkhart police investigated a record number of homicides in 2016. Staff and Elkhart Police Department photos
By the numbers
Elkhart totals from 1985 to 2002 are from FBI statistics while totals from 2003 to present are from the Elkhart Police Department. All Goshen Police Department and Elkhart County Sheriff's Department totals are directly from their respective agencies.

1985 – 4 (Elkhart: 1, Goshen: 2, Sheriff: 1)

1986 – 6 (Elkhart: 5, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 1)

1987 – 7 (Elkhart: 4, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 3)

1988 – 3 (Elkhart: 2, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 1)

1989 – 5 (Elkhart: 4, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 1)

1990 – 3 (Elkhart: 2, Goshen: 1, Sheriff: 0)

1991 – 3 (Elkhart: 3, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 0)

1992 – 4 (Elkhart: 4, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 0)

1993 – 4 (Elkhart: 3, Goshen 1, Sheriff: 0)

1994 – 2 (Elkhart: N/A, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 2)

1995 – 12 (Elkhart: 10*, Goshen: 2, Sheriff: 0)

1996 – 8 (Elkhart: 6, Goshen: 2, Sheriff: 0)

1997 – 5 (Elkhart: 3, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 2)

1998 – 10 (Elkhart: 7, Goshen: 1, Sheriff: 2)

1999 – 5 (Elkhart: 3, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 3)

2000 – 4 (Elkhart: 4, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 0)

2001 – 12 (Elkhart: 8, Goshen: 4, Sheriff: 0)

2002 – 7 (Elkhart: 7, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 0)

2003 – 4 (Elkhart: 1, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 3)

2004 – 2 (Elkhart: 1, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 1)

2005 – 6 (Elkhart: 4, Goshen: 1, Sheriff: 1)

2006 – 16 (Elkhart: 12, Goshen: 2, Sheriff: 2)

2007 – 8 (Elkhart: 6, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 2)

2008 – 4 (Elkhart: 3, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 1)

2009 – 8 (Elkhart: 7, Goshen: 1, Sheriff: 0)

2010 – 1 (Elkhart: 1, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 0)

2011 – 9 (Elkhart: 6, Goshen: 2, Sheriff: 1)

2012 – 13 (Elkhart: 6, Goshen: 1, Sheriff: 6)

2013 – 10 (Elkhart: 6, Goshen: 1, Sheriff: 2)

2014 – 4 (Elkhart: 1, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 3)

2015 – 6 (Elkhart: 5, Goshen: 0, Sheriff: 1)

2016 – 20 (Elkhart 16, Goshen: 3, Sheriff: 1)

*Data only covers nine months
ELKHART — Gangs have a presence in Elkhart, illegal drugs are rampant in the community and police are seeing an influx of Chicago-area residents.

But what explains the sharp increase in homicides during 2016? 

Elkhart was the scene of 16 homicides in 12 different incidents during the year. For all of Elkhart County, 20 people died in 16 different homicide incidents, including a near-record three homicides in two incidents in Goshen and one homicide in the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department's jurisdiction.

Both the Elkhart and countywide homicide totals are the highest since at least 1985, the farthest back reliable records can be traced for the city of Elkhart. Elkhart and Goshen's homicide totals are roughly four times higher than the average over the past 30 years.

Elkhart police officials would not discuss the underlying issues in specific cases because information had been forwarded to the Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office, which did not respond to several requests for an interview during November and December. 

But anecdotal evidence and court testimony in some cases point to a combination of drugs, gangs, Chicago spillover and random incidents escalating out of control as driving up Elkhart's homicide total.
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