BILLINGS - The number of murders in Billings doubled in 2022, while the number of assaults, property crimes and drug crimes fell, according to the Billings Police Department's 2022 annual report released Wednesday.
Police investigated 12 criminal homicides last year, up from six the previous year. The 2022 homicide total is the second-highest of the past decade, trailing only the 16 recorded homicides during the 2020 pandemic year.
Both aggravated assaults and non-aggravated fell in 2022, by around 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively, though those crimes last year remain above the median over the last 10 years.
Weapons offenses also fell in 2022 to 127, down from 165 in 2021. However, the weapons offenses recorded last year are roughly double the annual number from 2013 through 2020.
Drug crimes declined in Billings for the fourth year in a row in 2022, according to the report. The 954 reported drug crimes was the lowest reported in Billings over the past decade.
Billings Police Chief Rich St. John will give a press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday to discuss the report.
Read the full report below:
