Key Observations 

Seven law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in February 2024. This marked a 40% increase over the same period in 2023, for which five felonious line-of-duty deaths were reported to the FBI.

Firearms were used in five of the seven incidents in February 2024. One officer was killed with a knife or other cutting instrument, and another officer was killed by a vehicle. Officers reportedly wore body armor in two of the fatalities. The leading circumstances surrounding the officers’ deaths included activities were related to investigative/enforcement (three deaths) and tactical situations (two deaths).

Six law enforcement officers were accidentally killed in the line of duty in February 2024. This marked a 100% increase over the same period in 2023, for which three accidental line-of-duty deaths were reported to the FBI.

Five of the accidental deaths in February 2024 were due to motor vehicle crashes. The other death was due to a pedestrian officer being struck by a vehicle.

The southern region had the most law enforcement deaths in February 2024, with one felonious death and six accidental deaths.

Although not represented in the following tables, five officers died in the line of duty from medical conditions in February 2024. Four officers died from 9/11-related illnesses, and one officer died of natural causes. 

These statistics are preliminary and could change as the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Program receives updates. FBI data on Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted is posted on the Crime Data Explorer. 

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

Officer Deaths by Year 

Annual Felonious Total 

Felonious Deaths through February, by Year 

Annual Accidental Total 

Accidental Deaths through February, by Year

Officer Deaths by Region, January through February 2024 

Midwest 

• Felonious: 4 
• Accidental: 1 

Northeast 

• Felonious: 0 
• Accidental: 0 

Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories 

• Felonious: 0 
• Accidental: 0 

South 

• Felonious: 3 
• Accidental: 8 

West 

• Felonious: 2 
• Accidental: 0 

Circumstances of Officer Deaths, January through February 2024 

9 Felonious 

• 3 Investigative/enforcement (drug-related matter, wanted person, traffic violation stop) 
• 2 Tactical situation 
• 1 Citizen complaint 
• 1 Crime in progress (robbery, burglary, etc.) 
• 1 Pursuit 
• 1 Unprovoked attack 

9 Accidental 

• 7 Motor vehicle crash 
• 2 Engaging in vehicle pursuit 
• 2 Responding to emergency 
• 1 Performing traffic stop 
• 1 Responding to nonemergency 
• 1 Other 
• 2 Pedestrian officer struck by vehicle 
• 1 Assisting/investigating vehicle crash 
• 1 Providing/deploying equipment 

Details of Incidents, January through February 2024 

Time of Incident 

• 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
  • 2 Felonious 
  • 1 Accidental 
• 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. 
  • 5 Felonious 
  • 4 Accidental 
• 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. 
  • 0 Felonious 
  • 1 Accidental  
• Time Not Reported 
  • 2 Felonious 
  • 3 Accidental 
• Off Duty* 
  • 0 Felonious 
  • 0 Accidental 

*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 Feloniously Killed 

• Race: 9 white 
• Sex: 9 male 
• Ethnicity 
  • 6 Not Hispanic or Latino 
  • 3 Not reported

Demographics of Offenders in Felonious Killings 

• Race 
  • 4 White 
  • 3 Black or African American 
  • 1 Not reported 
• Sex: 8 male 
• Ethnicity: 8 Not reported 

Weapons Used by Offender—9 Felonious Killings 

• 7 Officers killed with firearms 
  • 1 Handgun 
  • 5 Not reported 
  • 1 Unknown 
• 1 Knife/cutting instrument 
• 1 Vehicle 

Distance from Firearm—Felonious Killings 

• 0-5 feet: 1 
• 6-10 feet: 1 
• Not reported: 5 

Location of Fatal Firearm Wound—Felonious Killings

• 1 Torso/arms 
• 7 Not reported 

Incidents and Victims—Felonious Killings 

• 8 Incidents 
• 9 Victims 

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