Key Observations

Thirty-eight law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in the first seven months of 2023. This reflects no change since same period in 2022, for which 38 felonious line-of-duty deaths were reported to the FBI. Firearms were used in 32 of the 38 felonious deaths in 2023. The leading circumstances surrounding the felonious deaths included investigative/enforcement activities (eight), crimes in progress (six), pursuits (five), and ambushes (four). In nine of the felonious deaths, officers were confirmed to have been wearing body armor. 

Seventeen law enforcement officers died under accidental circumstances in the line of duty in the first seven months of 2022. This reflects a 56.54% decrease from the same period in 2022, for which 39 accidental line-of-duty deaths were reported to the FBI. The accidental deaths in 2023 were due primarily to motor vehicle accidents (11), aircraft crashes (two), and pedestrian officers struck by vehicles (two).

The southern region has the most law enforcement officer deaths so far in 2023, with 13 felonious deaths and 11 accidental deaths.

Although not represented below, two officers died from conditions related to 9/11, two officers died from cancer, one officer died from illnesses related to COVID-19, and eight officers died due to other natural causes.

These statistics are preliminary and can change as the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Program receives updates.

Officer Deaths by Year

Annual Felonious Death Total

Felonious Deaths through July, by Year

Annual Accidental Death Total

Accidental Deaths through July, by Year

Officer Deaths by Region

Midwest

• Felonious: 13
• Accidental: 2

Northeast

• Felonious: 7
• Accidental: 0

Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories

• Felonious: 1
• Accidental: 1

South

• Felonious: 13
• Accidental: 11

West

• Felonious: 4
• Accidental: 3

Circumstances of Officer Deaths

38 Felonious

• 8 Investigative/enforcement (drug-related matter, wanted person, traffic violation stop)
• 6 Crimes in progress (robbery, burglary, etc.)
• 5 Pursuits
  
• 4 Ambushes (entrapment/premeditation)
• 3 Assisting another law enforcement officer
• 3 Tactical situations
• 2 Arrest situations
• 2 Disorder/disturbances (domestic disturbance, civil disorder, etc.)
• 1 Administrative assignment
  
• 1 Encountering/assisting an emotionally disturbed person
• 1 Serving/attempting to serve court order (eviction notice, subpoena, etc.)
  
• 1 Traffic control (crash scene, directing traffic, etc.)
• 1 Unprovoked attack
  

17 Accidental

• 11 Motor vehicle crashes
  
  • 4 Patrolling
    
  • 4 Responding to emergency
  • 1 Escorting dignitary or funeral
  • 1 Responding to nonemergency
  • 1 Other
• 2 Aircraft crashes
• 2 Pedestrian officers struck by vehicle
  • 1 Training
  • 1 Other
• 1 Drowning
• 1 Fall
  

Officer Deaths by Month in 2022 and 2023

Felonious Deaths in 2023, by Month

Accidental Deaths in 2023, by Month

Felonious Deaths in 2022, by Month

Accidental Deaths in 2022, by Month

Time of Incident 

• 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.—7 felonious, 3 accidental
• 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.—16 felonious, 5 accidental
• 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.—3 felonious, 4 accidental
• Time Not Reported—10 felonious, 5 accidental
• Off Duty*—2 felonious, 0 accidental

*When an officer is not scheduled to be working at the time of the incident, but is present and acting under law enforcement authority

Demographics of Officers Feloniously Killed

Race

• 34 White
• 3 Black or African American
• 1 Not reported
  

Sex

• 33 Male
• 5 Female
  

Ethnicity

• 31 Not Hispanic or Latino
• 2 Hispanic or Latino
• 5 Not reported
  

Demographics of Offenders in Felonious Killings

Race

• 8 White
• 5 Black or African American
• 27 Not reported
  

Sex

• 40 Male
  

Ethnicity

• 5 Hispanic or Latino
• 4 Not Hispanic or Latino
• 31 Not reported

Location of Fatal Firearm Wound

Felonious Killing

• 3 Head or neck
• 2 Abdomen or legs
• 1 Torso or arms
• 26 Fatal wound locations not reported
  

Weapons Used by Offender

38 Felonious Killings

• 32 Officers killed with firearms
  • 7 Handguns
  • 4 Rifles
    
  • 21 Not reported
    
• 4 Vehicles
• 1 Personal weapon (hands, fists, etc.)
• 1 Other

Distance from Firearm

Felonious Killings

• 0-5 feet: 1
• 6-10 feet: 3
  
• 11-20 feet: 1
• 21-50 feet: 1
  
• 51+ feet: 1
• Not reported: 23
• Unknown: 2

Overall Numbers of Incidents and Victims

• Incidents: 38
• Victims: 38

FBI data on Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted is posted in the Crime Data Explorer.

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