Texas' Dallas has been witnessing a rise in kidnappings, with the majority of the victims being Hispanic or Black individuals, the city's crime analytics dashboard has revealed.
As of July 21, 114 kidnappings or abductions were reported in the city this year. Last year, there were 99 such incidents, marking a 15.2% increase in kidnappings across the city in 2024.
Districts 6 and 7 have the highest number of abductions, with 17 and 16 cases, respectively, Dallas Express reported.
Both districts have seen an increase in kidnapping and abduction rates compared to last year. District 6 saw a 6.3% increase, while District 7 had a huge 300% increase, with only four cases reported during the same period in 2023.
District 7 Council Member Adam Bazaldua's name was in the limelight recently, as his area reported the most crimes committed against Black and Hispanic people this year, compared to any of the other 14 council districts.
Moreover, this trend was also seen in kidnapping and abduction cases, with 13 of the 16 victims in the district being either Black or Hispanic. The victims were mostly female, with ages ranging from six to 47, Dallas Express reported. Only two victims were male.
Five out of the 16 cases were not considered family violence crimes.
District 6 is located in the northwestern part of the city and is considered a hotspot for the illicit sex trade. Almost all the kidnapping victims in this district have been female (15 out of 17) and either Hispanic or Black (16 out of 17).
Their ages range from 17 to 58, and nine of the 17 abduction cases were related to family violence.
While the Dallas Police Department (DPD) is trying to reduce violent crime rates in the city, they are facing a significant staffing shortage. Only about 3,000 DPD officers are on duty, despite a city report recommending closer to 4,000 officers to ensure public safety.
Furthermore, the Dallas Police Department received much less taxpayer money compared to police agencies in other high-crime cities. City leaders approved a budget of only $654 million for this fiscal year.
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