Key Observations 

Two law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in two incidents in January 2024. This reflects a decrease from January 2023, for which three felonious line-of-duty deaths were reported to the FBI.

Firearms were used in both of the January 2024 incidents. The circumstances surrounding the officers’ deaths included investigative/enforcement activities in one incident and an unprovoked attack in the other.

Three officers were accidentally killed in the line of duty January 2024. Two of these officers died in motor-vehicle crashes, and one pedestrian officer was struck by a vehicle.

The southern region had the most law enforcement deaths in January 2024, with two accidental deaths and two felonious deaths. Additionally, five officers died in the line of duty in January 2024 from medical conditions. Two died of cancer, two died of heart attacks, and one died from a 9/11-related illness.

The Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Data Collection hasn't received details about the types of firearms used in the January 2024 felonious line-of-duty deaths, the distance of the officers from the firearms, the locations of fatal firearm wounds, or confirmation of whether the officers wore body armor. These statistics are preliminary and could change as the FBI’s LEOKA Data Collection receives updates.

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

Officer Deaths by Region 

South 

• Felonious: 2 
• Accidental: 2 

Midwest 

• Felonious: 0 
• Accidental: 1 

Circumstances of Officer Deaths 

2 Felonious 

• 1 Investigative/enforcement (drug-related matter, wanted person, traffic violation stop) 
• 1 Unprovoked attack 

3 Accidental 

• 2 Motor vehicle crash (while engaging in a vehicle pursuit)
• 1 Pedestrian officer struck by vehicle (while performing traffic stop)

Details of Incidents 

Time of Incident 

• 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
  • 1 felonious
  • 2 accidental
• Time Not Reported
  • 1 felonious
  • 1 accidental 

Demographics of Officers Feloniously Killed 

• Race: 2 white
• Sex: 2 male
• Ethnicity: 2 Not Hispanic or Latino 

Demographics of Offenders in Felonious Killings 

• Race
  • 1 white
  • 1 Black or African American
• Sex: 2 male
• Ethnicity: 2 not reported 

Overall Numbers of Felonious Incidents and Victims 

• Incidents: 2 
• Victims: 2 

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