Murder rate falls in West Midlands region, say police
The murder rate in the West Midlands has fallen in the past year, police have said.
West Midlands Police said detectives investigated 23 murders in the last 12 months, the lowest rate since 2002-03, and a fall from 32 in 2013/14.
The figures coincide with a fall in the number of murders nationally.
The force said improvements in tackling guns and gang crime, as well as a drive to improve domestic abuse reporting, were behind the drop.
Deputy Chief Constable Dave Thompson said: "We have dedicated units tackling gangs and gun crime.
"They are disrupting criminal networks across the region and stepping in before disputes have the opportunity to escalate into murders.
"We're [also] urging domestic abuse sufferers to come forward at an early stage and report incidents to us.
"That means we can protect them, get them into places of safety and take action against offenders before violence escalates."