(The Center Square) – The “Homicide Capital of America” is not Chicago or Los Angeles, but Memphis, Tenn., FBI Director Kash Patel said on a Sunday morning news show.
Patel said he didn’t know until his confirmation process that Memphis was “the homicide capital of America per capita.”
“We’re rolling out one of our task forces to Tennessee,” Patel said in a Fox News interview with Maria Bartiromo.
“Grateful for the leadership from @FBIDirectorKash, the @FBI, and the Trump administration, and look forward to working together to address this rampant issue impacting Memphians,” U.S. Sen. Martha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said in a social media post after Kash’s statements. “Let’s Make Memphis Safe Again.”
U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty also weighed in on Patel’s comments on Monday.
“@FBIDirectorKash is rightly deploying additional FBI resources to Memphis to address the wave of murders overwhelming the city,” Hagerty said on X. “Looking forward to continuing to work with his team to help make Memphis safe again.”
State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, said Patel’s statement “fuels our hope.”
“With the Trump Administration’s support, we’re poised to tackle crime head-on, proving Memphis is a vibrant community worthy of investment and a brighter future,” Taylor said on social media.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Police Chief Cerelyn Davis did not immediately respond to questions submitted by The Center Square.
The 2024 Crime Report and Public Safety Update from the City of Memphis said homicides were down by 30% in 2024 when compared to 2023.
A report issued in April by the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission showed a decrease in the number of homicides per 100,000 people. In 2024, there were 39.8 murders per 100,000 residents and 56.4 per 100,000 in 2023. Shelby County also experienced a drop from 39.7 homicides per 100,000 people in 2023 to 28.3 per 100,000 in 2024.
