THUNDER BAY — The city of Thunder Bay's national reputation as a city of violent crime seems likely to remain intact for another year.
Based on the number of homicides investigated by police in 2018, Thunder Bay could be on track to capture the title of murder capital of Canada for the third consecutive year.
In 2017, the city led the country's major population centres with a homicide rate of 5.8 per 100,000 population, based on seven reported cases.
In 2018, police investigated eight confirmed homicides.
The most recent case was the death of 17-year-old Braiden Jacob of Webequie First Nation, whose body was found in Chapples Park on Dec. 9. A 22-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder.
In 2016, Thunder Bay's eight homicides and a rate of 6.62 per 100,000 also topped Statistics Canada's list of homicide rates in 34 census metropolitan areas.
The agency is expected to release the national results for 2018 in July.
