Howdy Partners, Hold Your Horses: Unveiling the Great Houston Gunfight of 2022 (Spoiler Alert: It Wasn't That Great)
Ah, Houston. The city of bayous, barbecue, and apparently, a whole lotta shootin' in 2022. Now, before you start picturing tumbleweeds rolling down dusty streets and folks settling disputes at high noon, let's unpack this howdy-doody.
Did Houston Turn into Dodge City?
Well, not exactly. While there certainly were some shootouts (because, let's face it, it's Texas), the numbers might surprise you. According to the Houston Police Department, there were around 435 homicides in 2022. Now, that's a number no one wants to see, but compared to the previous year's 477, it's actually a decrease of about 9%.
Hold on to your Stetsons, folks, a decrease! Seems even outlaws are getting tired of all the ruckus.
But Wait, There's More! (Because There Always Is)
Now, before you start planning your victory yeehaw, here's the thing: homicides aren't the only kind of shooting. There's always that one fella who forgets his keys and tries the window with a bang, or maybe some friendly (questionable) neighborhood target practice gone wrong. The point is, the exact number of ALL the shootings in Houston is a bit of a mystery.
The Houston Police Department doesn't have a publicly available database for all shootings, just the homicides. So, unless you have a secret informant network of squirrels and stray cats (because who else gossips more in Houston?), it's tough to get a precise lasso around that number.
So, What's the Takeaway, Maverick?
Look, Houston ain't all sunshine and shootouts. But, the good news is, things seem to be going in the right direction, violence-wise. Here's to hoping that trend continues, and maybe next year we can write a post about the most spectacular barbecues in Houston instead.
Remember, folks, violence is never the answer. Unless, of course, the question is "What's for dinner?" Then the answer might be barbecue.
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