Attorney General’s Office annual crime report shows nearly twice as many homicides in 2024 as occurred in 2023

February 26, 2025:

The Crime in South Dakota 2024 Report (Feb. 21, 2025) showed there were 31 homicides in the state, up from 18 in 2023.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said he first looks at two numbers.

Another statistic that stands out for Jackley is 486– the number of South Dakota’s law enforcement officers killed or assaulted in 2024.

The report shows the number of more serious crimes rose 2.53% from 2023 to 2024 (45,905 in 2023 and 47,070 in 2024), while the number of less serious offenses went down 1.65% (21,240 in 2023 to 20,888 in 2024).

February 22, 2025:

The Crime in South Dakota 2024 Report (Feb. 21, 2025) showed the overall number of criminal offenses reported in the state in 2024 (67,959) increased 1.21%, when compared to 2023 (67,145).

Attorney General Marty Jackley said the number of more serious crimes– which include violations such as homicide, sex offenses and aggravated assault– rose 2.53% from 2023 to 2024 (45,905 in 2023 and 47,070 in 2024). He said the number of less serious offenses– violations such as DUI and disorderly conduct– went down 1.65% (21,240 in 2023 to 20,888 in 2024).

In 2024, Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken Prorok was killed in the line of duty when he was struck by a suspect’s vehicle during a police chase and died at the scene. There were 486 South Dakota law enforcement officers killed or assaulted in 2024, compared to 449 assaulted in 2023. No officers were killed in the line of duty in 2023.

Other statistics show:

• 31 homicides reported in 2024, up from 18 in 2023.
• DUI arrests were at 5,493 in 2024, up from 5,412 in 2023.
• Total drug offenses increased to 6,751 compared to 6,315 in 2023.
• Burglaries were at 1,777 in 2024, compared to 1,823 in 2023.
• Juvenile arrests were at 3,776 compared to 3,994 in 2023.
• Drug offenses involving methamphetamine were at 3,133 in 2024, compared to 3,018 in 2023.
• Fentanyl offenses are included in the “Other Narcotics” category. There were 397 such other narcotics offenses reported in 2024, compared to 237 in 2023.

The crime report is compiled by the Attorney General’s Criminal Statistical Analysis Center and reflects the actual arrest and reporting information from South Dakota law enforcement. Criminal statistics help identify trends in criminal activity that assist in crime prevention and enforcement efforts across South Dakota.