At least 12 major US cities have broken records in homicides in 2021, despite the year still not being over. Five of these cities topped records that were set just last year.

"It's terrible to every morning get up and have to go look at the numbers and then look at the news and see the stories. It's just crazy. It's just crazy, and this needs to stop," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said after his city surpassed its 1990 homicide record of 500.

Philadelphia, the sixth-largest city, with a population of 1.5 million people, so far has more homicides (521) than New York (443 as of December 5) and Los Angeles (352 as of November 27), recording an increase of 13% from 2020.

Chicago, the US' third-largest city is in the lead, with 739 homicides (as of the end of November). The cities that broke the records of last year are St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; Toledo, Ohio; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Austin, Texas; Rochester, New York; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, which broke its record back in August.

"They're just let out over and over again"

Robert Boyce, retired chief of detectives for the New York Police Department, said that while there is no single reason for the jump in murders, one national crime statistic stands out to him.

“Nobody’s getting arrested anymore," Boyce said. "People are getting picked up for gun possession, and they're just let out over and over again."

"I wish there was one good solid reason that I could give you for the increases, but the reality is there is none," said Christopher Herrmann, a former crime analyst supervisor for the New York City Police Department.

Herrmann said he was surprised to see the number of homicides going up in major cities after an overall 30% jump last year.

"I think, unfortunately, police departments are just losing a lot of their best and experienced officers and then because of the economic crisis, because of COVID, are having difficulties in hiring or just delays in hirings," Herrmann said.