Statistics on Law Enforcement Officer Deaths in the Line of Duty from January through June 2024
August 5, 2024
Key Observations
The 32 law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the first half of 2024 represent a 6.7 percent increase compared to the 30 officers killed during the same period in 2023. Firearms were used in 25 of the 32 felonious deaths occurring in the first 6 months of 2024. Among officers killed with firearms, 4 are confirmed to have been wearing body armor. The leading circumstances surrounding the officers’ felonious deaths were related to investigative/enforcement activities (13) and unprovoked attacks (6). Accidental deaths of law enforcement officers doubled when comparing the first 6 months of 2024 (26) with those of 2023 (13). The leading circumstances surrounding accidental deaths in 2024 included motor vehicle accidents (16) and pedestrian officers struck by vehicles (4). The Southern region had the most law enforcement deaths in 2024 with 25 deaths total (10 felonious, 15 accidental). Additionally, 21 officers died from the following medical conditions in 2024: 8 due to heart attack, 5 due to conditions related to 9/11, 5 due to natural causes, and 3 due to cancer.
These statistics are preliminary and can change as law enforcement agencies submit updates.
Officer Deaths by Year
Annual Felonious Death Total
| Year | Deaths |
| 2023 | 60 |
| 2022 | 61 |
| 2021 | 73 |
| 2020 | 46 |
Felonious Deaths Through June
| Year | Deaths |
| 2024 | 32 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2022 | 32 |
| 2021 | 37 |
| 2020 | 28 |
Annual Accidental Death Total
| Year | Deaths |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2022 | 57 |
| 2021 | 56 |
| 2020 | 46 |
Accidental Deaths Through June
| Year | Deaths |
| 2024 | 26 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2022 | 30 |
| 2021 | 32 |
| 2020 | 23 |
Officer Deaths by Region
| Region | Felonious Deaths | Accidental Deaths |
| Midwest | 9 | 4 |
| Northeast | 5 | 2 |
| Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories | 1 | 1 |
| South | 10 | 15 |
| West | 7 | 4 |
Circumstances of Officer Deaths
Felonious: 32
- Investigative/enforcement (drug-related matter, wanted person, traffic violation stop): 13
- Unprovoked attack: 6
- Ambush (entrapment/premeditation): 3
- Assisting another law enforcement officer: 2
- Crime in progress (robbery, burglary, etc.): 2
- Disorder/disturbance (domestic disturbance, civil disorder, etc.): 2
- Tactical situation: 2
- Citizen complaint: 1
- Out of service (court, dining, etc.): 1
Accidental: 26
- Motor vehicle crash: 16
- Responding to emergency: 4
- Engaging in vehicle pursuit: 3
- Patrolling: 2
- Performing traffic stop: 2
- Escorting dignitary or funeral: 1
- Responding to non-emergency: 1
- Other: 3
- Pedestrian officer struck by vehicle: 4
- Assisting/investigating vehicle crash: 2
- Performing traffic stop: 1
- Providing/deploying equipment: 1
- Aircraft crash: 1
- Firearm-related incident: 1
- Other: 4
Officer Deaths by Month in 2024
| Month | Felonious Deaths | Accidental Deaths |
| January | 2 | 3 |
| February | 7 | 6 |
| March | 5 | 3 |
| April | 10 | 10 |
| May | 4 | 0 |
| June | 4 | 4 |
Time of Incident
| Time | Felonious Deaths | Accidental Deaths |
| 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. | 7 | 5 |
| 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. | 9 | 10 |
| 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. | 5 | 3 |
| Time not reported | 9 | 8 |
| Off duty * | 2 | 0 |
* Off duty is 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 Killed
Race:
- White: 29
- Black or African American: 3
Sex: 32 Male
Ethnicity:
- Not Hispanic or Latino: 20
- Hispanic or Latino: 2
- Not reported: 10
Demographics of Offenders
Race:
- White: 14
- Black or African American: 13
- Not reported: 3
Sex:
- Male: 29
- Female: 1
Ethnicity: 30 not reported
Felonious Killings by Weapons Used by Offender
Firearm: 25
- Handgun: 2
- Unknown: 1
- Not reported: 22
Vehicle: 4
Knife/cutting instrument: 1
Personal weapon (hands, fists, etc.): 1
Distance From Firearm
0-5 feet: 2
6-10 feet: 1
Not reported: 22
Location of Fatal Firearm Wound
Head or neck: 1
Torso or arms: 2
Not reported: 21
Numbers of incidents and Victims in Felonious Killings
Incidents: 30
Victims: 32
