Law enforcement deaths rise in 2024: FBI reports 6.6% increase

Among officers killed with firearms, four were confirmed to have been wearing body armor.

The leading circumstances surrounding officers’ deaths in felonious killings included investigative and enforcement activity (22), unprovoked attacks (8), ambushes (6), crimes in progress (5), and tactical situations (5).

The 22 felonious killings related to investigative and enforcement activities in 2024 mark a 37.5% increase compared to 16 in 2023. Accidental law enforcement deaths increased 23.5% in 2024, with 42 reported, compared to 34 in 2023.

The accidental deaths in 2024 were primarily due to motor vehicle accidents (21).

The Southern region had the most law enforcement deaths in 2024, with 52 total (28 felonious, 24 accidental). Additionally, 38 officers died in 2024 from the following medical conditions: natural causes (16), heart attacks (11), conditions resulting from responses to 9/11 (8), and cancer (3).

The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg hosts an annual memorial ceremony in honor of fallen law enforcement officers.

During last year’s event in May, Timothy Ferguson, acting assistant director for the CJIS Division, said 2024 was on track to be “one of the deadliest years to law enforcement in our history.”

“The last year in 2023, we had 60 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, and the year before that it was 61, so we are on track to exceed those numbers, unfortunately,” he said.

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

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