Lansing officials say the city had 12 homicides last year, the most since 2008 when it had the same number.
The Lansing State Journal reports (http://on.lsj.com/ZjnQIx ) that local officials say crime that originates in other cities can affect Lansing.
In 2011, there were seven homicides in Lansing. In 2010 there were 10, which is what the city has averaged since 2000.
Lansing's homicide total doesn't include the Jan. 7, 2012 killing of a 28-year-old who was shot in an exchange of gunfire during what officials said was a drug robbery. That was ruled an act of self-defense, since he was killed by the man being robbed.
Several of Michigan's largest cities, including Detroit and Grand Rapids, saw increases in homicides 2012.
