Oklahoma City increases its number of closed cases

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma City's homicide rate is falling. In 2002, 42 homicides were committed in the metro-area. The numbers have been falling since 1996. Police say medical

Sunday, December 29th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma City's homicide rate is falling.

In 2002, 42 homicides were committed in the metro-area.

The numbers have been falling since 1996. Police say medical technology and new police weapons like Tasers and pepper spray are preventing some deaths.

Police report that they are also solving more cases this year.

After posting their worst clearance rate for homicide cases last year, the department says it has closed all but six of its 42 cases this year.

That's an 86-percent success rate. Last time this year the department reported a 76-percent success rate.

Detectives say more crimes were committed on strangers, by strangers, making the cases harder to solve.

Police say domestic homicides, usually the easiest cases to solve, were down this year.

Males seem to be the most common victims of homicide. Most of them were white.