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NEW ORLEANS – For the third year in a row, New Orleans saw a drop in homicides.

According to the NOPD UCR, 2018 marked a 47-year record low homicide rate.

In 2016, 174 homicides were reported to the FBI.

In 2017, 157 were reported.

And 2018 ended with a low number of 146 homicides.

“We also ended the year with a third straight year of double-digit reductions in Armed Robberies. And non-fatal shootings were down 30% compared to 2017—or 145 fewer victims in 2018 compared to 2017,” said Andy Cunningham, the NOPD Director of Communications.

Crime analysts say the numbers are lower in part due to the decrease in population.

And although the numbers are going down, criminologists with LSU Health say New Orleans is still ranked at the top of the list compared to cities with matching populations.

The NOPD will release all 2018 crime rates in the coming weeks.