Summer 2024 Weekend Shooting Analysis
Crime & Violence in America's Big Cities

Tracking Big City Shootings, Killings & Injuries Throughout Summer 2024

553 Shootings - 165 Killed - 543 Injured in 15 Cities Over Last 6 Weekends
Shootings (down 29%), deaths (down 19%) & injuries (down 34%) so far from 2023

The D&D Daily's Big City Weekend Violence Study - Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Daily's annual study analyzes weekend shooting data in 15 major U.S. cities from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend 2024

Starting this past Memorial Day Weekend, the D&D Daily compiled and analyzed data from 15 major U.S. cities to get a snapshot of summer gun violence.

Over this past weekend, from June 28th through June 30th, there were 71 shootings recorded in these 15 big cities, resulting in 30 deaths and 63 injuries.

In total, over the past six weekends combined, these cities have recorded 553 shootings, resulting in 165 deaths and 543 injuries.

Compared to last summer at this time in the study, total shootings in these cities are down 29%, deaths are down 19%, and injuries are down 34%.

The D&D Daily will continue tracking this data throughout the summer to capture the weekend violence trend in our nation's big cities as warm weather typically brings about more crime and violence.

Click here to see the list of incidents per city throughout the summer. docs.google.com

Read more coverage about America's crime and violence surge in the section directly below
 

Target Employees Told to Stop Thieves Who Flee with More Than $50 in Merch
The new threshold is part of the retailer's broader efforts to combat theft

Target to Lower Threshold for Apprehending, Prosecuting Shoplifters
Target plans to crack down on retail theft by lowering the threshold for how much shoplifters can swipe before employees are allowed to finally step in, according to a report.

The Minnesota-based big box retail chain — which has blamed retail theft for hurting its bottom line — instructed store staff to halt bandits who try to flee with items totaling $50, down from the previous sum of $100, Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

“Our priority remains ensuring the safety of the team and guests, while maintaining the positive experience Target shoppers expect,” a Target spokesperson told Bloomberg News. The new policy will reportedly take effect later this summer.

Last fall, Target’s chief financial officer, Michael Fiddelke, told investors that the company expects shoplifting to be a “significant financial headwind.”

He made the comment just weeks after Target, which owns and operates around 2,000 stores nationwide, closed nine urban locations, including those in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Ore. and the Harlem section of New York City.

Retailers such as Target have gone to great lengths to try to curb retail theft, including hiring more security guards as well as locking up everyday items such as toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo behind glass encasing.

Earlier this year, Target announced that it would limit the number of items that shoppers can pay for at self-checkout counters.

Dollar General said it would be doing away with self-checkout counters at 300 of its stores that were particularly hit hard by “shrink” — as did another big box retailer, Walmart.  nypost.com  pymnts.com


Using Facial Recognition to ID Threats & Boost Safety at Mall of America
Mall of America introduces new facial recognition security system
Mall of America officials announced Wednesday they will be incorporating a new facial recognition technology into its security systems.

...The new system, according to Mall of America, is intended only to be used for detecting the presence of a person of interest (POI), described as individuals who are currently on a trespass at Mall of America, those who may be a threat, persons identified by law enforcement, as well as endangered or missing people.

Once a potential person of interest is identified, security members begin an investigation to make sure the person being identified is indeed who the system claims they are. Mall of America officials say their team has undergone extensive training to verify the presence of PIOs and take appropriate action when one is spotted.

“Our security team prides itself on keeping everyone who walks through our doors safe so we can provide the best possible guest experience,” said Will Bernhjelm, Vice President of Security at Mall of America. “At 5.6 million square feet, our officers cannot be everywhere at once. Utilizing this cutting-edge technology will allow us to more quickly do what we are already doing: identifying individuals of interest and keeping Mall of America and its guests safe. We take safety very seriously and we are continually evolving our strategies to enhance our security efforts.”

According to the Mall of America officials, the technology only looks for matches to the POI photos. If an individual is not a match, no data is stored, and it does not track or keep any information on non-POIs. kstp.com

   RELATED: New facial recognition to add more layers to Mall of America security


Walgreens Closures Coming Amid Theft Surge & Other Struggles
Walgreens will close a significant number of US stores, shutting down many unprofitable locations
Walgreens is set to close a substantial number of its roughly 8,600 locations across the United States as the company looks to reset the struggling pharmaceutical chain’s business.

The company didn’t announce a specific number of store closures, but it said Thursday that it is planning “significant” closures of underperforming stores across America as part of a multiyear optimization program.

CEO Tim Wentworth said on a call with analysts Thursday that “changes are imminent” for the roughly 25% of stores that aren’t profitable and Walgreens’ strategic review will “include the closure of a significant portion of these underperforming stores.”

“We are at a point where the current pharmacy model is not sustainable and the challenges in our operating environment require we approach the market differently,” he said.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal Thursday, Wentworth said the closures would focus on locations that aren’t profitable, too close to each other or stores struggling with theft.

Walgreens revealed few additional details about the closures on the call, but said they would take place over the next three years. The company also said it will consider additional closures if performance doesn’t improve. The “vast majority” of employees working at affected stores will be offered jobs elsewhere, Wentworth said.

Stock plunges on weak outlook - Struggles for drug stores: cnn.com


ORC Rings Across the Country Targeting Lego Products
Shoplifters love Lego. The colorful plastic toy bricks are a gold mine for criminals
Lego products, especially the pricier sets that range from over $100 to $1,000 or more, are being targeted for theft both by individual shoplifters and larger organized retail crime rings who make a beeline for sets sitting on store shelves because they can fetch a good profit at resale both in legal and illegal channels.

Retail crime experts told CNN that stolen Lego sets are easy to resell, they’re typically hard to trace and they can fetch close to the original retail price if in mint condition and unused. Even used sets in decent shape can go for 50% of the original price.

In recent months, robbers have stolen Legos in several states. Earlier this month, police in California arrested two people in connection with a retail theft ring that allegedly stole thousands of Lego toys from several Southern California retailers, according to CNN affiliate KABC.

In Philadelphia, police logged a series of Lego set thefts in recent months at retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Target, with stolen sets valued from $250 to up to $1,000 each. Target told CNN it did not have any information to share on Lego thefts at its stores. Barnes & Noble did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

And north of the border, in Richmond, British Columbia, police in March seized a haul of more than 1,000 stolen toys. Among the stolen goods were more than $150,000 worth of Lego sets and other plush toys.

“Lego is unique. The brand is always refreshing their offerings, always on trend with tie-ins to pop culture and special edition sets,” said Read Hayes, a criminologist at the University of Florida and the director of the Loss Prevention Research Council, whose members include Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Gap.

Hayes told CNN his team works with a majority of retailers that carry Lego products as well as Legoland theme parks. “Demand is always there.”

As a result, there’s not only a market for stolen Lego products but also a burgeoning counterfeit market, especially online. cnn.com


The Political War Over California's Theft Ballot Initiative 
California initiative would make shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders
A California ballot measure to once again make shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders is threatening to become a litmus test for whether the state's Democrats are tough enough on crime to retain their seats in Congress.

The initiative has support from a broad coalition of law enforcement and retailers calling for a crack down on retail theft in the state, where videos of large groups of people brazenly rushing into stores and stealing in plain sight have gone viral. A proposal on the verge of appearing on the November ballot calls for harsher penalties for repeat shoplifters and drug dealers, among other things. The measure is set to be certified by the secretary of state Thursday.

Top Democrats are fighting to kill the proposal, citing concerns it would disproportionately incarcerate low-income people and those with substance abuse issues. But they are also motivated by the political implications of the tough-on-crime initiative bringing Republicans and conservative voters to the polls in droves.

"It is very clearly intended by Republicans to help drive turnout at the November election," said Natasha Minsker, an advisor for a social justice coalition that opposes the initiative. "The Democrats are clear-eyed of the threat here."  cbsnews.com  abcnews.go.com


RELATED: Californians will vote on whether to roll back parts of Prop. 47


Thieves Ditch One City for Another After Crackdown
Retailers say Albuquerque shoplifting crackdown pushing thieves to Santa Fe
As retailers in Albuquerque report a recent drop in shoplifting amid a crackdown in the state's most populous city, businesses in Santa Fe say they have seen an uptick in theft from their stores.

An increase in felony shoplifting charges this month in Santa Fe — including a few for the newly legislated offense of "organized retail crime" — suggests police and prosecutors in the capital city have been cracking down on shoplifting offenses at big-box retailers as well.

At a Thursday morning meeting of the New Mexico Organized Retail Crime Association — a group organized by the state Chamber of Commerce — Santa Fe retailers said losses from their stores have increased recently.

Bridget Dixson, president and CEO of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, said she hears about theft from businesses weekly, and retailers are "frustrated" with the uptick in shoplifting.

"The Santa Fe Target is the number one Target in the state for retail crime right now," Dixson said, adding many believe organized shoplifting rings have "been pushed in our direction" as a result of the crackdown in Albuquerque in recent months. yahoo.com


Walmart shoppers slam store as ‘dystopian’ after security policy hits toy aisle

Denver retailers see spike in brazen theft incidents
 

One Retailer Makes U-Turn on 'Woke' Issues
Tractor Supply slashes all DEI roles, carbon-emission goals and Pride support

The retailer said it would focus on “being a good neighbor,” but the Human Rights Campaign said the decisions mean the company is “turning its back on their own neighbors.”

Tractor Supply is eliminating its diversity, equity and inclusion roles, withdrawing its carbon-emission goals, ending support for Pride events and voting efforts, and ceasing data-sharing with LGBTQ+ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign.

In a statement published Thursday, the retailer said the retreat is in response to customer feedback and that it will work to “ensure our activities and giving tie directly to our business.” The company didn’t immediately respond to questions about how many roles were cut and whether the people affected will be laid off or offered other positions.

The retailer said it will “focus on rural America priorities including ag education, animal welfare, veteran causes and being a good neighbor.” But Eric Bloem, vice president of programs and corporate advocacy at the Human Rights Campaign, said that “Tractor Supply Co is turning its back on their own neighbors with this shortsighted decision.” retaildive.com


Facial Recognition Security Expands Across Other Sectors
Google is testing facial recognition technology for campus security, starting at site near Seattle

Google is testing facial-tracking technology for its corporate campus security, CNBC has learned.

Google is testing facial recognition technology for office security “to help prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to our campuses,” according to a description of the program that was viewed by CNBC.

The initial test is taking place at one of Alphabet’s sites in Kirkland, Washington, a Seattle suburb, the document says. Interior security cameras have been collecting facial data and comparing it to images stored from employee badge images, which includes the extended workforce, to help determine if there are unauthorized people on the premises.

Google’s Security and Resilience Services (GSRS) team will use the data to help identify people “who may pose a security risk to Google’s people, products, or locations,” the document says. cnbc.com


Rite Aid restructuring plan approved, slashes debt
A U.S. bankruptcy judge has approved Rite Aid Corp.’s restructuring plan, setting the stage for the pharmacy retailer to stay afloat and emerge from bankruptcy.

Levi’s plans to expand its global footprint by 70 new stores

Kroger testing new loyalty program that offers rewards on store or online purchases

As Hurricane Beryl barrels toward Caribbean isles, it's already "historic"

Last week's #1 article --

Miniso opens Paris flagship; eyes 1,000 new stores in 2024