View Prince George’s County homicides in 2011 in a larger map

Not even six full days into 2011, and Prince George’s County authorities are struggling to cope with a spree of severe violence which has, so far, claimed six lives. Yesterday, we noted that the County had recorded five homicides in the first four days of January; then, last night, yet another person was found dead in an Oxon Hill apartment building. The Post reports that Prince George’s County police believe that most, if not all of the killings were indicative of a “drug nexus” and are believed to have been committed by people who the victims knew.

“These homicides do not appear to be random acts,” interim Prince George’s Police Chief Mark Magaw said at a news conference Wednesday. “I expect this cycle of violence to be stopped.”

[…]

“Right now it’s just way too early to say if [Wednesday night’s death] may be related to the others or not,” said Maj. Andrew Ellis, the police department’s public affairs commander. He added that of the previous five slayings, police believe that two were related.

The Post was kind enough to put together the above Google map which indicates the location of each of the homicides (blue pins) and related injuries (red pins) during the spree. No arrests have been made in any of the homicide cases so far; in 2010, Prince George’s County recorded 98 homicides.