Statistics on Law Enforcement Officer Deaths in the Line of Duty from January through September 2024

The 54 law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the first nine months of 2024 represent a 12.5 percent increase compared to the 48 officers killed during the same period in 2023. Firearms were used in 75.9 percent of the felonious deaths occurring in 2024. Among officers killed with firearms, four are confirmed to have been wearing body armor. The leading circumstances surrounding the officers’ felonious deaths were related to investigative/enforcement (18), unprovoked attacks (8), and ambushes (6). The 18 investigative/enforcement-related deaths in 2024 represent a 50.0 percent increase compared to the 12 during the same time in 2023.

Accidental law enforcement deaths increased 14.3 percent (32) when comparing the first nine months of 2024 with the first nine months of 2023 (28). Thus far, the leading cause of accidental officer deaths in 2024 has been motor vehicle accidents (18). The Southern region has the most law enforcement deaths in 2024, with 39 deaths total (22 felonious, 17 accidental). Additionally, 28 officers died from the following medical conditions in 2024: heart attack (10), natural causes (10), conditions related to 9/11 response (5), and cancer (3).

These statistics are preliminary and may change as law enforcement agencies submit updates.

Officer Deaths by Year

Annual Felonious Death Total

YearDeaths
202360
202261
202173
202046


Felonious Deaths Through September

Year
Deaths
2024
54
2023
48
2022
48
2021
54
2020
37


Annual Accidental Death Total

YearDeaths
202334
202257
202156
202046


Accidental Deaths Through September

YearDeaths
202432
202328
202243
202142
202036


Officer Deaths by Region

RegionFelonious DeathsAccidental Deaths
Midwest15
7
Northeast5
3
Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories1
1
South22
17
West114


Circumstances of Officer Deaths

Felonious: 54

  • Investigative/enforcement (drug-related matter, wanted person, traffic violation stop): 18
  • Unprovoked attack: 8
  • Ambush (entrapment/premeditation): 6
  • Tactical situation: 5
  • Assisting another law enforcement officer: 4
  • Crime in progress (robbery, burglary, etc.): 4
  • Pursuit: 3
  • Disorder/disturbance (domestic disturbance, civil disorder, etc.): 2
  • Citizen complaint: 1
  • Out of service (court, dining, etc.): 1
  • Traffic control (crash scene, directing traffic, etc.): 1
  • Other: 1

Accidental: 32

  • Motor vehicle crash: 18
    • Engaging in vehicle pursuit: 4
    • Responding to emergency: 4
    • Patrolling: 2
    • Performing traffic stop: 2
    • Escorting dignitary or funeral: 1
    • Other: 5
  • Pedestrian officer struck by vehicle: 5
    • Assisting/investigating vehicle crash: 3
    • Performing traffic stop: 1
    • Providing/deploying equipment: 1
  • Aircraft crash: 1
  • Fall: 1
  • Firearm-related incident: 2
  • Other: 5

Officer Deaths by Month in 2024

MonthFelonious DeathsAccidental Deaths
January23
February76
March53
April1010
May40
June44
July6
0
August
103
September63


Time of Incident

TimeFelonious DeathsAccidental Deaths
7 a.m. to 3 p.m.75
3 p.m. to 11 p.m.910
11 p.m. to 7 a.m.7
3
Time not reported27
14
Off duty*40

* 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: 48
  • Black or African American: 6

Sex

  • Male: 54

Ethnicity

  • Not Hispanic or Latino: 20
  • Hispanic or Latino: 2
  • Not reported: 32


Demographics of Offenders

Race

  • White: 27
  • Black or African American: 21
  • Not reported: 7

Sex

  • Male: 49
  • Female: 6

Ethnicity:

  • Not Hispanic or Latino: 2
  • Not Reported: 53


Felonious Killings by Weapons Used by Offender

Firearm: 41

  • Handgun: 2
  • Unknown: 1
  • Not reported: 38

Knife/cutting instrument: 1

Personal weapon (hands, fists, etc.): 3

Vehicle: 9


Distance from Firearm

0-5 feet: 2

6-10 feet: 1

Not reported: 38


Location of Fatal Firearm Wound

Head or neck: 1

Torso or arms: 2

Not reported: 38


Numbers of Incidents and Victims in Felonious Killings

Incidents: 52

Victims: 54