Murders, violent crimes and rapes in Minnesota decreased from 2021 to 2022, according to the State Department of Public Safety’s B-C-A Uniform Crime Report.
The state had 182 murders in 2022, compared with 201 the previous year… a 9.5 percent decrease. Firearms made up 70.4 percent of the weapons used in 2022 murders, down from 73 percent in 2021.
Minnesota saw an 8.6 percent decline in violent crime in 2022. Violent crime in greater Minnesota decreased by 12.9 percent. Violent crime in the seven-county Twin Cities Metro Area went down by 6.9 percent.
There were 2,329 rapes in 2022… a drop of 143 from the year before. Forty-four percent of the victims in 2022 were minors … and 73.2 percent of rapes occurred in a home.
Motor vehicle theft rose 12.9 percent in 2022 with 16,743 vehicles stolen as compared to 14,829 in 2021. The 2022 total is the highest since 2001.
Minnesota agencies reported 21 use-of-force incidents in 2022, down from 30 in 2021. Nine people died.
Peace officers were assaulted in 859 incidents in 2022, a 5 percent decrease from 2021.
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(MN BCA release:)
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has released the 2022 Uniform Crime Report, a summary of crime data submitted by local law enforcement agencies.
Notable data from the 2022 Minnesota Uniform Crime Report:
- Minnesota saw an 8.6 percent decrease in violent crime in 2022. Violent crime in greater Minnesota decreased by 12.9 percent. Violent crime in the seven-county Twin Cities Metro Area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties) decreased by 6.9 percent.
- There were 182 murders in 2022 in Minnesota compared with 201 in 2021, a 9.5 percent decrease. Firearms made up 70.4 percent of the weapons used in 2022 murders, down from 73 percent in 2021.
- There were 10,342 aggravated assaults in 2022, which is 5.7 percent lower than 2021.
- The number of rapes decreased in 2022. Almost half of the victims were minors (44 percent) and 73.2 percent of rapes occurred in a home.
- Motor vehicle theft rose 12.9 percent in 2022 with 16,743 vehicles stolen as compared to 14,829 in 2021. The 2022 total is the highest since 2001. Carjacking incidents decreased 23.2 percent with 598 incidents in 2022, compared with 779 in 2021 (the first year this data was collected). Carjacking incidents are not counted as motor vehicle thefts.
- Bias crimes fell in 2022 with 168 incidents reported.
- Law enforcement use-of-force incidents involving discharge of a firearm dropped in 2022 to 18, seven fewer than in 2021.
- Peace officers were assaulted in 859 incidents in 2022, a 5 percent decrease from 2021.
Violent Crimes
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Murder | 182 | 201 | 185 | 117 | 104 |
| Rape | 2,329 | 2,472 | 2,222 | 2,431 | 2,666 |
| Robbery | 3,266 | 3,991 | 3,885 | 3,081 | 2,943 |
| Aggravated Assault | 10,342 | 10,967 | 8,203 | 6,742 | 6,693 |
Property Crimes
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Burglary | 12,144 | 14,429 | 16,789 | 15,735 | 16,097 |
| Larceny | 84,830 | 88,644 | 89,130 | 90,257 | 85,394 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 16,743 | 14,829 | 13,662 | 11,410 | 10,082 |
| Arson | 628 | 716 | 710 | 462 | 426 |
Additional Crime Data Reported to the BCA
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Homicide cleared by arrest or exceptional means ° | 80% | 62% | 65% | 64% | 77% |
| Drug abuse violation cleared by arrest | 81% | 80% | 82% | 88% | 85% |
| Bias motivated incidents | 168 | 238 | 223 | 146 | 127 |
In addition to data measuring criminal activity statewide, the report contains other information required in statute, including the number of law enforcement officers killed or assaulted; firearm discharges by police officers; and police pursuits.
Use-of-Force Incidents
Minnesota agencies reported 21 use-of-force incidents in 2022, down from 30 in 2021.
- 9 people died.
- 10 incidents resulted in serious injury requiring medical attention.
- 2 non-injury incidents.
Agencies reported the following race information about people on whom force was used.*
- White (15)
- Black (5)
- American Indian/Alaskan Native (3)
The complete 2022 Uniform Crime Report can be accessed on the BCA website. The Minnesota Crime Data Explorer and additional years’ reports can be found on the same page.
* One force incident involved three people and so while there were 21 incidents, there were 23 people on whom force was used.
° An incident is cleared by exceptional means if some element beyond law enforcement control prevents filing of formal charges against the offender.