HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For the second year in a row, Houston police are responding to a staggering number of homicides.
Since Friday morning in Houston, there have been at least 12 murders. The killings range from domestic incidents to gang-related shootings and are not concentrated in any specific area of the city.
SEE ALSO: Harris County district attorney says rising murder rate highlights urgent need for jury trials
There have been roughly 190 homicides in Houston so far in 2021, meaning there has been more than one homicide a day this year. Already, Houston police numbers show a more than 28% increase from last year's elevated numbers.
On May 24, 2020, former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo announced that murders were up almost 50% year-to-date from the previous year. At that time, there had been 131 murders in 2020 compared to 88 in 2019.
SEE ALSO: 13 Investigates: Crime reported every 7 hours in this Houston neighborhood
The increase is not isolated to Houston.
The National Fraternal Order of Police reported last week that homicides are "skyrocketing" across the country. According to the FOP, Killings are up 800% in Portland, 56% in Minneapolis, 40% in Philadelphia and 35% in Washington D.C.