A total of 58 people are suspected of being murdered this year. This compares to the total last year when 60 people were murdered. In 2005 52 people were murdered. According to recently released CSO murders were up in the first three quarter of this year compare to last year. In the first three quarters of last year 42 people had been killed, this year there were 48. Gun murders to date are the same with 17. A quarter of all suspected murders so far in 2007 (up to 17 December) were suspected to be related to gangs. Well over half (55 per cent) arose from personal or domestic circumstances.