For some odd reason, the number of monthly homicides in 2015 has more than doubled, when compared to the 2011 to 2014 average. This is still relatively low when you look at the past two decades as a whole, but nonetheless it's alarming. Homicides have increased in almost every Ward, (excluding Wards 1 and 7), between January 2015 and Aug. 19, 2015. Ward 8 saw the highest uptick. Almost 80% of DC's increased murder rate happened in Woodland/Fort Stanton, Garfield Heights, Knoxville; Douglass, Shipley Terrace; or Shaw, Logan Circle. Looking at the bigger picture, DC's most improved 'hood between 2000 and 2014 is the Southeast Navy Yard neighborhood. During that time, Eastland Gardens-Kenilworth, Deanwood-Lincoln Heights, Mayfair-Hillbrook, and River Terrace-Benning saw the biggest increase in violent crimes, which includes homicides, assaults and robberies. [Curbed]