18-02-2025
Columbus leaders honing in on mission to lower homicide rate below 100
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus community and police leaders say they are honing in on their mission to lower the city's homicide rate.
The organization, Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children, and the Columbus Division of Police have spent some time restructuring their mission, Operation Under Triple Digits. It's an initiative aimed at getting the city's homicide rate below 100.
Leaders say this year they will focus on what they are calling the big three: domestic relationships, youth violence and arguments turned violent. 'We're in a pressure cooker right now. It is a very sensitive time,' said Malissa Thomas-St. Clair, the founder of Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children.
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Leaders say this is a big city and a big job. Columbus Police data shows in 2024, the city's homicide rate dropped by 17 percent. But in 2025 and beyond, city and community leaders say they want to see that rate drop even more.
'We want to ensure that the community continues the good work. We don't want to go backwards,' Thomas-St. Clair said. Columbus Police First Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts said the division will be taking on an even bigger role in the initiative to support community groups in any way they need.
'We are about saving this community when we leave these positions that we hold because we always say we're seat fillers, right? And we want to make sure that the person coming behind us doesn't have to start from scratch,' Potts said.
Thomas-St. Clair said they chose their big three by looking at police data from 2024. She said those were the areas that needed the most attention. 'If you look at the domestic violence homicides that happened, there were 23 out of 123 homicides, domestic violence is the silent killer,' Thomas-St. Clair said.
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Potts said they will also be partnering with other community groups like We Are Linden, Ohio Women Against Domestic Violence, Legacy U and more. All of the groups they are working with specialize and focus on those big three.
'We believe that this is the one year out of a three-year plan and by the third year, we will be under triple digits. That is our goal. That is our vision,' Potts said. They say every move this year will be intentional.
They plan to meet with community groups and stakeholders aimed at tackling those big three monthly to go over data. Thomas-St. Clair said they are starting a new initiative called 'mall walks' to engage people who aren't naturally affected by violence. She said they are also going to places that are.
'So we're going inside of prisons together, she and I, along with some of my team members and hers. That is a unique partnership we just began. So we're excited for the reentry,' Thomas-St. Clair said.
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The women say they are going to use the data and what they've learned over the last few years to prevent instead of react. 'They're bridging the gap, we're building the trust and within those big three, all that needs to happen is have the community trust our law enforcement. Law enforcement trusts us and then we work together,' Thomas-St. Clair said.
According to police data, there have been six homicides in the City of Columbus so far this year. If you would like to get involved in Operation Under Triple Digits they have ways to sign up and take their pledge on their website.
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