After a stabbing victim died while in the hospital, the San Francisco Police Department is confirming that we've now reached 35 homicides for the year.

According to the Ex, that means that so far, the rate is lower than it was last year, when 42 had been slain by mid-November.

In fact, the FBI says that the only crime rate in San Francisco that wasn't rising in 2013 was the homicide rate. We ended that year with 48 victims of foul play. Compare that to 2012, when we had 69 homicides, and you might almost feel like things are improving...but when we look at last week, in which three men were killed and no one's been arrested, it's hard not to feel unsettled.

Here are some updates on San Francisco's three most recent victims of homicide, all whom died in the last five days:

Thursday, 11/13 4 a.m.: Malcolm Armstrong, 200 block Haight Street
The 20-year-old SF resident who was stabbed in the chest on Haight near Laguna has died at SF General. Though police say that there were witnesses on the scene, the suspect in the stabbing managed to flee. At publication time, SFPD does not have a description of any people of interest.

11/15 2:43 a.m.: Orlando Ford, Mission Street and Geneva Avenue
Ford, a 39-year-old SF resident, was pronounced dead on the scene after he was shot in the upper body. Police now say that witnesses reported hearing an argument followed by gunshots, and that two suspects, described only as men in their 30s, fled in what some said was a van.

11/15 8:24 p.m.: Isaac Cruz, O'Farrell and Larkin Street
The 25-year-old man was discovered on the sidewalk by SFPD with at least one stab wound to the chest, and died at SF General at 8:48 that night. Police now say that they believe Cruz, who had no known address, was reportedly fighting with a group of five guys in their 20s when one of the men pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim. All five of them men have fled, and no one's seen them since.

Of course, anyone who knows anything about any of these slayings is asked to call the SFPD's anonymous tip line at 415)-575-4444 or to send a tip by text message to TIP411 with “SFPD” in the message.

Previously: San Francisco's Rising Crime Rates, By The Numbers