Statistics on Law Enforcement Officer Deaths in the Line of Duty in 2024
January 17, 2025
The 64 law enforcement officers feloniously killed in 2024 represent a 6.6 percent increase compared to the 60 officers killed during 2023. Firearms were used in 65.6 percent of the felonious deaths in 2024. The type of firearm used was not reported in 92.9 percent of the incidents.
Among officers killed with firearms, four were confirmed to have been wearing body armor. The leading circumstances surrounding officers’ deaths in felonious killings included activities related to investigative/enforcement activity (22), unprovoked attacks (8), ambushes (6), crimes in progress (5), and tactical situations (5). The 22 felonious killings related to investigative/enforcement activities in 2024 are a 37.5 percent increase compared to the 16 in 2023. Accidental law enforcement deaths increased 23.5 percent in 2024 (42) compared to 2023 (34). The accidental deaths in 2024 were due primarily to motor vehicle accidents (21). The southern region had the most law enforcement deaths in 2024, with 52 deaths total (28 felonious, 24 accidental). Additionally, 38 officers died in 2024 from the following medical conditions: natural causes (16), heart attacks (11), conditions as a result of responses to 9/11 (8), and cancer (3).
These statistics are preliminary and can change as agencies provide updates.
Total Annual Felonious Deaths
Year | Deaths |
2024 | 64 |
2023 | 60 |
2022 | 61 |
2021 | 73 |
2020 | 46 |
Total Annual Accidental Deaths
Year | Deaths |
2024 | 42 |
2023 | 34 |
2022 | 57 |
2021 | 56 |
2020 | 46 |
Officer Deaths By Region
Region | Felonious Deaths | Accidental Deaths |
Midwest | 18 | 9 |
Northeast | 5 | 4 |
South | 28 | 24 |
West | 12 | 4 |
Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories | 1 | 1 |
Circumstances of Officer Deaths
Felonious: 64
- Investigative/enforcement (drug-related matter, wanted person, traffic violation stop): 22
- Unprovoked attack: 8
- Ambush: 6
- Crime in progress (robbery, burglary, etc.): 5
- Tactical situation: 5
- Assisting another law enforcement officer: 4
- Pursuit: 4
- Traffic control (crash scene, directing traffic, etc.): 3
- Disorder/disturbance (domestic disturbance, civil disorder, etc.): 2
- Citizen Complaint: 2
- Out of service (court, dining, etc.): 1
- Other: 2
Accidental: 42
- Motor vehicle crash: 21
- Responding to emergency: 6
- Engaging in vehicle pursuit: 4
- Patrolling: 2
- Performing traffic stop: 2
- Assisting/investigating vehicle crash: 1
- Escorting dignitary or funeral: 1
- Other: 5
- Pedestrian officer struck by vehicle: 9
- Performing traffic stop: 4
- Assisting/investigating vehicle crash: 3
- Performing traffic control: 1
- Providing/deploying equipment: 1
- Aircraft crash: 2
- Firearm-related incident: 2
- Drowning: 1
- Fall: 1
- Other: 6
Felonious Officer Deaths by Month in 2023 and 2024
Month | 2023 | 2024 |
January | 3 | 2 |
February | 5 | 7 |
March | 4 | 5 |
April | 6 | 10 |
May | 6 | 4 |
June | 6 | 4 |
July | 10 | 6 |
August | 4 | 10 |
September | 4 | 6 |
October | 3 | 0 |
November | 4 | 5 |
December | 5 | 5 |
Accidental Officer Deaths by Month in 2023 and 2024
Month | 2023 | 2024 |
January | 0 | 3 |
February | 3 | 6 |
March | 5 | 3 |
April | 0 | 10 |
May | 3 | 0 |
June | 2 | 4 |
July | 5 | 0 |
August | 4 | 3 |
September | 6 | 4 |
October | 1 | 3 |
November | 2 | 4 |
December | 3 | 2 |
Officer Deaths by Time of Incident
Time | Felonious Deaths | Accidental Deaths |
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. | 10 | 7 |
3 p.m. to 11 p.m. | 14 | 12 |
11 p.m. to 7 a.m. | 8 | 5 |
Time not reported | 28 | 18 |
Off duty | 4 | 0 |
Demographics of Officers Feloniously Killed
Race
- White: 57
- Black or African American: 7
Sex
- Male: 63
- Female: 1
Ethnicity
- Not reported: 42
- Not Hispanic or Latino: 20
- Hispanic or Latino: 2
Demographics of Offenders
Race
- White: 33
- Black or African American: 23
- Not reported: 9
Sex
- Male: 59
- Female: 6
Ethnicity:
- Not reported: 62
- Not Hispanic or Latino: 2
- Hispanic or Latino: 1
Felonious Killings by Weapons Used by Offender
Firearm: 42
- Not reported: 39
- Handgun: 2
- Unknown: 1
Vehicle: 12
Personal weapon (hands, fists, etc.): 9
Knife/cutting instrument: 1
Felonious Killings by Distance from Firearm
0-5 feet: 2
6-10 feet: 1
Not reported: 39
Felonious Killings by Location of Fatal Firearm Wound
Not reported: 40
Torso or arms: 1
Head or neck: 1
Felonious Killings by Number of Victims and Incidents
Victims: 64
Incidents: 62