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Why were 12 people killed in the past 10 days? Right now, police don't know.

Posted at 8:30 PM, Dec 02, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-03 15:19:55-05

INDIANAPOLIS -- Twelve people have been killed in the past 10 days – and IMPD says they don’t know why.

Indianapolis' criminal homicide total broke 2006's number Wednesday as it hit 141, making 2016 the third-deadliest year on record.

On Thursday, 23-year-old Sy-Ayre Kyle was shot and killed at a gas station on the west side – the 11th homicide since November 23 and 142nd of the year.

MORE | Indianapolis homicide total hits 141 as 10 killed in past week

IMPD says it's currently investigating all of the homicides as separate events, but doesn’t at this time believe any of them are connected to the recent "Operation Glass Houses" meth busts.

Click the map below to see where all of this year's homicides have occurred:

What is driving the homicides, IMPD says, isn't clear-- but the department points to drugs and arguments as likely causes.

Of the 91 homicides this year where IMPD has released a suspected motive, 23 percent have been linked directly to drugs. Another 20 percent are attributed to arguments. Robberies also make up a large portion, at an estimated 23 percent.

Of the 12 homicides investigated since November 23, at least seven involve victims who were 25 years old or younger – the youngest being 15-year-old Roshun Johnson. The ages of two of the victims haven't been released as of this writing.

Year-to-date, 52 of 142 criminal homicide victims in Indianapolis have been 25 or younger – 36.6 percent overall.