Key Observations

The 47 law enforcement officers who were feloniously killed in the first nine months of 2023 represent a 4.1 % decrease compared to the 49 officers killed during the same period in 2022. Firearms were used in 78.7 % (37) of the felonious deaths in 2023, with handguns (8) most reported. In 13 of the felonious killings, officers were confirmed to have been wearing body armor. The leading circumstances surrounding officers’ felonious deaths included activities related to investigative/enforcement (12), ambushes (6), pursuits (6), assisting other law enforcement officers (5), and crimes in progress (5). The 12 investigative/enforcement-related deaths in 2023 represent a 33.3 % increase compared to the 9 deaths during the same time in 2022. Conversely, unprovoked attacks decreased by more than 66.7 % in 2023 (2) when compared to the first 9 months of 2022. Accidental law enforcement deaths decreased 37.2 % when comparing the first 9 months of 2023 (27) with those of 2022 (43).

Thus far, the leading cause of accidental officer deaths in 2023 has been motor vehicle accidents (17). The southern region has the most law enforcement deaths in 2023 with 35 deaths total (15 felonious, 20 accidental).

Eighteen officers have died in the line of duty from the following medical conditions in 2023: natural causes (12), conditions related to 9/11 (3), cancer (2), and illness related to COVID-19 (1). 
 
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 September by Year

Annual Accidental Death Total

Accidental Deaths through September, by Year

Officer Deaths by Region

Midwest

• Felonious: 15
• Accidental: 2

Northeast

• Felonious: 8
• Accidental: 0

Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories

• Felonious: 2
• Accidental: 1

South

• Felonious: 15
• Accidental: 20

West

• Felonious: 7
• Accidental: 4

Circumstances of Officer Deaths

47 Felonious

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

27 Accidental

• 17 Motor vehicle crashes 
  • 8 Patrolling 
  • 6 Responding to emergency 
  • 1 Escorting dignitary or funeral 
  • 1 Responding to nonemergency 
  • 1 Other 

• 5 Pedestrian officers struck by vehicle 
  • 1 Assisting/investigating vehicle crash 
  • 1 Assisting motorist 
  • 1 Training 
  • 2 Other 
    

• 2 Aircraft crash 
• 1 Drowning 
• 1 Fall 
• 1 Firearm-related incident 

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, 5 accidental
• 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.—21 felonious, 7 accidental
• 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.—3 felonious, 6 accidental
• Time Not Reported—14 felonious, 9 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

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

Sex

• 41 Male
• 6 Female
  

Ethnicity

• 38 Not Hispanic or Latino
• 3 Hispanic or Latino
• 6 Not reported
  

Demographics of Offenders in Felonious Killings

Race

• 11White
• 6 Black or African American
• 33 Not reported
  

Sex

• 50 Male
  

Ethnicity

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

Location of Fatal Firearm Wound

Felonious Killing

• 5 Head or neck
• 2 Abdomen or legs
• 2 Torso or arms
• 27 Fatal wound locations not reported
  

Weapons Used by Offender

47 Felonious Killings

• 37 Officers killed with firearms
  • 8 Handguns
  • 5 Rifles
    
  • 1 Shotgun
  • 1 Unknown
  • 22 Not reported
    
• 7 Vehicles
• 1 Personal weapon (hands, fists, etc.)
• 2 Other

Distance from Firearm

Felonious Killings

• 0-5 feet: 2
• 6-10 feet: 3
  
• 11-20 feet: 1
• 21-50 feet: 1
  
• 51+ feet: 1
• Not reported: 24
• Unknown: 5

Overall Numbers of Incidents and Victims

• Incidents: 47
• Victims: 47

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

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