Detroit Police Chief James Craig is crediting the many incidents of high-profile shootings of criminals by law-abiding citizens for playing a role in the dramatic reduction of crime in Motor City over the past year.

While also crediting his officers in the Detroit Police Department, Craig was adamant that armed citizens are sending a message to criminals:

Detroit has experienced 37 percent fewer robberies in 2014 than during the same period last year, 22 percent fewer break-ins of businesses and homes, and 30 percent fewer carjackings. Craig attributed the drop to better police work and criminals being reluctant to prey on citizens who may be carrying guns.

“Criminals are getting the message that good Detroiters are armed and will use that weapon,” said Craig, who has repeatedly said he believes armed citizens deter crime. “I don’t want to take away from the good work our investigators are doing, but I think part of the drop in crime, and robberies in particular, is because criminals are thinking twice that citizens could be armed.

“I can’t say what specific percentage is caused by this, but there’s no question in my mind it has had an effect,” Craig said.

Craig made national news in January, when he told The Detroit News he believed armed citizens deter crime — an unusual stance for an urban police chief. In May, the chief was featured in an NRA publication, America’s 1st Freedom, in a cover story titled “A Show of Courage in Detroit,” in which Craig reiterated his support for citizens using guns to protect themselves.

Crime is still high in Detroit, a reality brought vividly to life when an 88-year-old man who had been brutally robbed and beaten last week opened fire on a news crew for Channel 7 (WXYZ) Monday afternoon who wanted to interview him about the incident. Fortunately for all concerned, the single round fired missed the news crew and was stopped by a tree. The elderly citizen has been taken into custody for a psychological evaluation. The police seem to think  that the senior citizen is still traumatized from the robbery and beating, and may have though that the news crew was the robbery crew returning to attack him again. It will ultimately be up to prosecutors to determine whether or not to press charges.

Bearing Arms has covered a number of the high profiled defensive gun uses by armed citizens in Detroit in the past year:

Video: Detroit mom repulses home invasion
STAND AND FIGHT! Detroit Grandmother/Carry Permit Holder Shoots Her Way Out Of Ambush With Concealed Handgun
NOT PLAYING AROUND: AThird Justified Killing Of Home Invaders In Detroit In Five Weeks
And Another One Gone, And Another One Gone: Detroit Homeowner Dispatches Two Home Invaders
For The Fifth Time In Two Weeks, A Detroit Homeowner Has Killed A Burglar
Three Detroit homeowners defend their lives with guns in a week