Kentucky and Indiana have among highest black homicide rates in nation, report says

Black residents in Kentucky and Indiana are killed in homicides at some of the highest rates in the nation, according to a new report.

The annual study from the Violence Policy Center, a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury, found Kentucky and Indiana had the nation's sixth- and fifth-highest black homicide victimization rates, respectively, in 2016.

That is the most recent year for which data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Supplementary Homicide Report is available.

Kentucky had 106 black homicide victims in 2016, or a rate of 28.55 per 100,000, according to the report.

Kentucky's rate is more than 40% higher than the national black homicide victimization rate of 20.44 people per 100,000 and more than five times the overall national homicide victimization rate of 5.10 per 100,000.

Wear Orange event:Kentucky chapter of Moms Demand Action calls for gun safety

Indiana had 205 black homicide victims in 2016, or a rate of 31.93 per 100,000, the report found. 

Nationally, 7,756 black victims died in homicides in 2016. Blacks represented about 13% of the U.S. population but accounted for 51% of all homicide victims, according to the Violence Policy Center.

A majority of black homicide victims in Indiana and Kentucky were males, the VPC report found.

Out of the 205 black homicide victims in Indiana, 184 were male, while Kentucky had 88 male victims.

Eighty-seven percent of black homicide victims around the country were killed with guns.

Opinion:Indiana lawmakers failed our kids on gun violence and school safety

“The devastating and disproportionate impact homicide, almost always involving a gun, has on black men, boys, women, and girls in America is a national shame,” VPC Executive Director Josh Sugarmann said in a news release. “These deaths devastate families, traumatize communities, and should provoke an outcry for change. The goal of our research is to help educate the public and policymakers, spur action, and aid community leaders already working to end this crisis.”

For homicides in which the victim to offender relationship could be determined, 94% of black homicide victims in Indiana and 73% of victims in Kentucky were killed by someone they knew, the report found.

Stats don't lie:Black Louisville drivers get searched more often

According to the Violence Policy Center, which first published the black homicide study in 2007, Indiana has ranked in the top 10 for states with the highest black homicide victimization rates every year except 2014.

This was the first time Kentucky has cracked the top 10 in the Violence Policy Center report. The Bluegrass State ranked 13th last year in the Violence Policy Center report.

The report found Missouri had the highest black homicide victimization rate in the nation in 2016, with 333 victims and a rate of 46.21 per 100,000.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com or 502-582-7030. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.