Despite another fatal shooting in Northeast last night, it’s worth noting that with less than two months left to go in 2009, the District has recorded 123 homicides all year long, according to D.C. police crime data. That figure continues to reflect a 25 percent decrease in the number of homicides compared to this time last year, when there were already 164 homicides on the books. By all accounts, the Metropolitan Police Department has also seen an improvement in homicide arrests this year.

We’ve given Chief Cathy Lanier a hard time for daring to predict that the city would see fewer than 100 homicides this year, a benchmark which of course we’ve long since passed. But the 25 percent decrease in homicides has remained consistent throughout most of the year, which is a significant improvement.