Section I: law enforcement officers killed.Methodology In Section I are statistics on felonious or accidental deaths of duly sworn local, state, and federal law enforcement officers meeting the following criteria: they must be working in an official capacity, have full arrest powers, wear a badge (ordinarily), carry a firearm (ordinarily), and be paid from government funds set aside specifically for payment of sworn police law enforcement representatives. The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program collects data on officers' deaths from several sources. Notification of duty-related deaths is received from local and state law enforcement agencies participating in the UCR Program. Contributors submit preliminary data on any officer killed in the line of duty within their jurisdictions. FBI field divisions and legal attache offices also report such incidents occurring in the United States and its territories, as well as those in which a United States law enforcement officer dies while assigned to duties in another country. In addition, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, administrator of the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program, maintains contact throughout the year, supplying information regarding officers whose survivors have received benefits. This threefold reporting procedure ensures the validity and completeness of the data. Once the national Program receives notification of a line-of-duty death, the staff send through FBI field divisions inquiries to obtain additional details concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident to the victim officer's employing agency. Additionally, the staff furnish the agency with information concerning two federal programs that provide benefits to survivors of federal and nonfederal law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Pertinent criminal history data concerning the individuals identified in connection with felonious killings are obtained from the FBI's Interstate Identification Index. Overview Forty-two law enforcement officers fell victim to murder while performing their official duties during 1999. Law enforcement agencies in 24 states suffered the felonious death of an officer. Twenty-three victims were employed by city police departments and 13 by county police and sheriffs' offices. State agencies accounted for 5 officers' deaths. The remaining death was reported by a federal agency. (See Table 1.) The number of officers killed was 31 percent lower in 1999 than in 1998 when 61 officers were slain. Five- and 10-year trends show the number of officers slain in 1999 was 43 percent lower than in 1995 and 36 percent lower than in 1990. Victims Of the 42 officers who lost their lives in 1999, 39 were male and 3 were female. The average age of officers slain was 36. One victim was under the age of 25 and 10 were between 25 through 30 years of age. Twenty-three fallen officers were aged 31 through 40. Eight were over 40 years of age. When considering race, the majority of slain officers--37--were white. Of the remaining officers, 3 were black and 2 were American Indian/Alaskan Native. (See Table 24.) On average, the law enforcement officers slain in 1999 had 9 years of police experience. Fourteen victim officers were veterans with over 10 years of law enforcement service. Additionally, 16 veteran officers had between 5 and 10 years of service and 11 victims had 1 through 4 years of service. One officer had less than 1 year of service. Circumstances Surrounding Deaths In 1999, 12 officers were murdered during arrest situations. A further breakdown of these situations showed 2 officers were killed by suspects during drug-related situations, 4 by robbery suspects, and 6 by assailants suspected of other crimes. Eight officers were killed while enforcing traffic laws; 7 were slain while investigating suspicious persons or circumstances and an additional 7 were killed upon responding to disturbance calls. An ambush claimed an additional 6 officers, and 2 were slain while handling or transporting prisoners. (See Table 17.) Types of Assignment Twenty-nine of the 42 victims in 1999 were assigned to patrol. Of those officers killed while making rounds, 25 were assigned to 1-officer vehicles, 3 to 2-officer vehicles, and 1 to foot patrol. Twelve victims were on detective or special assignment. Another officer was off duty but acting in an official capacity as a police officer. (See Table 20.) During the decade 1990 through 1999, the largest percentage of victim officers were assigned to vehicle patrol when they were killed. Forty-nine percent of the vehicle patrol officers were alone and unassisted at the time of their deaths, and 31 percent of the victim officers on other types of assignments were alone and unassisted. (See Table 21.) Alleged Assailants The 42 officers who were killed in 1999 lost their lives in 39 separate incidents. All 39 of these incidents have been cleared by arrest or exceptional means. A total of 49 suspects were identified. Forty-seven of the identified suspects were male and 2 were female. Racially, 27 of the identified suspects were white, 19 were black, and the remaining 2 were American Indian/Alaskan Native. Race was not reported for 1 suspect. Thirty-seven of the 49 alleged assailants identified in the murders were under the age of 31. (See Table 25.) Forty-one of the 49 identified suspects had previous arrests and 30 had prior convictions. Nineteen suspects had earlier arrests for assaulting an officer or resisting arrest. An additional 19 suspects had been apprehended for weapons violations and 11 for crimes of violence. (See Table 25.) In 1999, 39 suspects were arrested by law enforcement agencies. Five were justifiably killed by persons other than the victim officers, and another 5 committed suicide subsequent to slaying the officers. A review of dispositions of 952 persons identified in connection with officers' murders during the decade 1988 through 1997 indicated only 19 cases remain pending or the disposition is unknown. Of the 952 persons identified, 760 were arrested. Of those, 750 were charged. Ten assailants died while in custody. Of the remaining 192 persons identified, 117 were justifiably killed; 62 committed suicide; 10 remain fugitives; 2 died under other circumstances; and 1 was murdered in an unrelated incident while at large. (See Table 26.) Among those 760 persons arrested and charged, 71 percent were found guilty of murder, and 9 percent were found guilty of a lesser offense that was related to murder. Six percent were found guilty of some crime other than murder. Eight percent of the suspects were acquitted or had charges against them dismissed or nolle prossed. Two percent of suspects were committed to psychiatric institutions. Three percent of the cases remain pending or the disposition is unknown. One percent of the persons charged with the officers' murders died in custody before a final disposition was determined. Sentences remain indeterminate for less than 1 percent of the persons charged. Available data for this same time period revealed that 119 of the 537 offenders found guilty of murder were sentenced to death. Life imprisonment was ordered for 243, and 173 were given prison terms ranging from 18 months through 396 years. Two were placed on probation. Weapons Firearms were the weapon of choice in 41 of the 42 officer killings. Handguns were used in 25 of the killings, rifles in 11, and shotguns in 5. Five officers were shot with their own service weapons. (See Table 6.) One officer in 1999 was intentionally struck by a vehicle. (See Table 1.) The most common handgun cartridge type used against officers in 1999 was the 9 mm. This caliber gun accounted for 48 percent of the handgun deaths. (See Table 6.) Ninety-three percent of the 658 officers slain in the line of duty from 1990 through 1999 were killed by firearms. Seventy-one percent of the murders were committed by the use of handguns, 17 percent by rifles, 5 percent by shotguns. Seven percent of the officers were killed by other weapons, i.e., knives or cutting instruments, blunt objects, etc. (See Table 3.) Fifty-two officers were slain with their own weapons during the 10-year period, and 151 victim officers fired their service weapons. In addition, the weapons of 105 officers were stolen. Of the officers who died of gunshot wounds during this decade, 50 percent were within 5 feet of their assailants at the time of the fatal attack. (See Table 7.) When considering location of the fatal wound, 49 percent of the firearm fatalities were caused by wounds to the head. Upper torso wounds claimed 45 percent of the victim officers, and 6 percent died from wounds below the waist. (See Table 8.) Body Armor Body armor was worn by 279 of the officers who were gunshot victim over the past 10 years. Of those officers, 160 suffered gunshot wounds to the head. One hundred and one officers suffered gunshot wounds to the upper torso, and 18 suffered gunshot wounds below the waist. (See Table 9.) Of 101 victim officers who died of upper torso wounds despite their body armor, 40 officers were slain when bullets entered between the side panels or the armholes of the vests. Close in number at 34 were the officers who died as a result of wounds above the vest area. Twenty officers were slain when the bullets penetrated their protective vests. Seven officers died as a result of wounds in the abdominal or lower back area not protected by their vests. (See Table 10.) In the past 10 years, 11 officers wearing body armor were killed by weapons other than firearms. Five were intentionally struck by vehicles; 2 were beaten or strangled; 2 were stabbed; and 2 were struck on the head with blunt objects. Places Regionally, the Southern States reported 20 of the 42 officers' fatalities in 1999. The Western States reported 11 officers lost and the Midwestern States reported 6. The Northeastern States reported 5 officers slain. (See Table 16.) When reviewing regional totals for the decade, the latter half of the decade showed an increase in officers killed in the West and decreases in the Northeast, the Midwest, and the South. Times In the past 10 years, 60 percent of the incidents resulting in officers' deaths occurred from 6:01 p.m.-6 a.m. The figures show the 4-hour period from 4:01 a.m.-8 a.m. to be when the fewest officers were slain. The 6-hour period from 8:01 p.m.-2 a.m. is when the greatest number of officers were slain. (See Table 12.) During the past decade, more officers were slain on Fridays than on any other day of the week. The least number of fatalities was on Sundays. (See Table 13.) A review of the monthly totals for the same time period establishes January and April as the months with the highest number of officers' murders with 66 and 72, respectively. November had the fewest fatalities with 43 deaths. (See Table 14.) Accidental Deaths In 1999, 65 officers lost their lives due to accidents while they were acting in their official capacity. The largest number of officers--51--were killed in automobile, motorcycle, and aircraft accidents. Nine were accidentally struck by vehicles. Accidental shootings claimed 3 officers' lives, and 2 were killed in other types accidents (1 fall and 1 all-terrain vehicle accident). (See Table 27.) By region, of these 65 fatalities, the Southern States recorded 36 accidental deaths. The Midwestern States and the Western States reported 11 each. The Northeastern States registered 6 officer accidents resulting in death. Puerto Rico reported 1 accidental death of an officer. (See Table 32.) Weapons Used
Table 1
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
State and Agency by Type of Weapon, 1999
Type of weapon
Agency by state Total Handgun Rifle Shotgun Other
Total 42 25 11 5 1
ALASKA 1 1 0 0 0
Palmer 1 1 0 0 0
ARIZONA 3 2 1 0 0
Chandler 1 0 1 0 0
Phoenix 1 1 0 0 0
White Mountain
Apache 1 1 0 0 0
CALIFORNIA 4 1 3 0 0
Oakland 1 0 1 0 0
Orange County 1 0 1 0 0
Riverside County 1 0 1 0 0
Sacramento 1 1 0 0 0
CONNECTICUT 1 1 0 0 0
East Hartford 1 1 0 0 0
GEORGIA 5 2 0 2 1
Atlanta 1 1 0 0 0
Cobb County 2 0 0 2 0
Tybee Island 1 0 0 0 (vehicle) 1
Villa Rica 1 1 0 0 0
HAWAII 1 1 0 0 0
National Park
Service, Kailua-
Kona 1 1 0 0 0
ILLINOIS 2 2 0 0 0
Chicago 2 2 0 0 0
INDIANA 1 0 1 0 0
State Police,
Fort Wayne 1 0 1 0 0
KANSAS 1 0 0 1 0
Clay County 1 0 0 1 0
KENTUCKY 1 0 1 0 0
Greenville 1 0 1 0 0
MASSACHUSETTS 1 1 0 0 0
Holyoke 1 1 0 0 0
MICHIGAN 1 1 0 0 0
Detroit 1 1 0 0 0
MISSISSIPPI 1 1 0 0 0
Prentiss County 1 1 0 0 0
MISSOURI 1 1 0 0 0
State Patrol,
St. Joseph 1 1 0 0 0
NEW JERSEY 2 1 0 1 0
Orange 1 1 0 0 0
Washington Township 1 0 0 1 0
NEW MEXICO 1 1 0 0 0
Sierra County 1 1 0 0 0
NORTH CAROLINA 3 2 0 1 0
Enfield 1 1 0 0 0
Spencer 1 1 0 0 0
Warren County 1 0 0 1 0
OKLAHOMA 2 1 1 0 0
Delaware County 1 1 0 0 0
Highway Patrol,
McAlester 1 0 1 0 0
PENNSYLVANIA 1 1 0 0 0
Kane Borough 1 1 0 0 0
SOUTH CAROLINA 1 1 0 0 0
Greenville County 1 1 0 0 0
TENNESSEE 1 1 0 0 0
Goodlettsville 1 1 0 0 0
TEXAS 5 1 4 0 0
Atascosa County 2 0 2 0 0
Department of
Public Safety,
Pleasanton 1 0 1 0 0
Houston 1 1 0 0 0
Kendall County 1 0 1 0 0
VIRGINIA 1 1 0 0 0
Winchester 1 1 0 0 0
WASHINGTON 1 1 0 0 0
State Patrol,
Kennewick 1 1 0 0 0
Table 2
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Type of Weapon by Region, 1999
Type of weapon Total Northeast Midwest
Total 42 5 6
Handgun 25 4 4
Rifle 11 0 1
Shotgun 5 1 1
Total firearms 41 5 6
Knife 0 0 0
Bomb 0 0 0
Personal weapons 0 0 0
Other 1 0 0
U.S.
Type of weapon South West Territories
Total 20 11 0
Handgun 10 7 0
Rifle 6 4 0
Shotgun 3 0 0
Total firearms 19 11 0
Knife 0 0 0
Bomb 0 0 0
Personal weapons 0 0 0
Other 1 0 0
Table 3
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Type of Weapon by Region, 1990-1999
Type of weapon Total Northeast Midwest
Total 658 76 119
Handgun 466 58 76
Rifle 112 6 28
Shotgun 32 4 5
Total firearms 610 68 109
Knife 10 3 1
Bomb 11 1 0
Personal weapons 5 0 1
Other 22 4 8
Type of weapon South West U.S. Territories
Total 280 127 56
Handgun 197 82 53
Rifle 42 33 3
Shotgun 18 5 0
Total firearms 257 120 56
Knife 4 2 0
Bomb 10 0 0
Personal weapons 1 3 0
Other 8 2 0
Table 4
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Type of Weapon, 1990-1999
Total
Year Total Handgun Rifle Shotgun firearms
Total 658 466 112 32 610
1990 66 48 8 1 57
1991 71 50 14 4 68
1992 64 44 9 2 55
1993 70 51 13 3 67
1994 79 66 8 4 78
1995 74 43 14 5 62
1996 61 50 6 1 57
1997 70 49 12 6 67
1998 61 40 17 1 58
1999 42 25 11 5 41
Personal
Year Knife Bomb weapons Other
Total 10 11 5 22
1990 3 0 2 4
1991 0 1 0 2
1992 1 1 1 6
1993 0 0 0 3
1994 0 0 0 1
1995 2 8 0 2
1996 1 0 1 2
1997 2 0 1 0
1998 1 1 0 1
1999 0 0 0 1
Table 5
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms
Number Slain With Own Weapon and/or Wearing Body Armor, 1990-1999
Slain with own Slain with
Slain while weapon and not own weapon while
Total slain wearing wearing body wearing body
Year with firearms body armor armor armor
Total 610 279 33 19
1990 57 15 2 1
1991 68 24 5 3
1992 55 17 3 1
1993 67 37 2 3
1994 78 35 4 2
1995 62 32 4 2
1996 57 31 4 0
1997 67 27 3 2
1998 58 34 3 3
1999 41 27 3 2
Table 6
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms
Type of Firearm and Size of Ammunition by Number Slain With
Own Weapon and/or Wearing Body Armor, 1999
Type of firearm Total slain Slain while wearing
Size of ammunition with firearms body armor
Total 41 27
Handgun 25 17
.22 Magnum 1 1
.25 Caliber 1 1
.357 Magnum 2 2
.38 Caliber 4 3
.40 Caliber 2 1
.45 Caliber 1 1
9 Millimeter 12 7
10 Millimeter 1 0
Size not reported 1 1
Rifle 11 7
.223 Caliber 1 1
.270 Caliber 1 0
7.62x39 Millimeter 9 6
Shotgun 5 3
12 Gauge 5 3
Slain with own Slain with
Type of firearm weapon and not own weapon while
Size of ammunition wearing body armor wearing body armor
Total 3 2
Handgun 3 2
.22 Magnum 0 0
.25 Caliber 0 0
.357 Magnum 0 0
.38 Caliber 1 0
.40 Caliber 0 1
.45 Caliber 0 0
9 Millimeter 1 1
10 Millimeter 1 0
Size not reported 0 0
Rifle 0 0
.223 Caliber 0 0
.270 Caliber 0 0
7.62x39 Millimeter 0 0
Shotgun 0 0
12 Gauge 0 0
Table 7
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms
Distance Between Victim Officer and Offender, 1990-1999
Distance in feet Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 610 57 68 55 67 78
0 - 5 308 31 34 28 33 43
6 - 10 129 14 9 14 14 21
11 - 20 70 4 13 6 7 7
21 - 50 52 4 6 4 6 4
Over 50 48 4 6 3 7 3
Distance not reported 3 0 0 0 0 0
Distance in feet 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 62 57 67 58 41
0 - 5 28 31 35 26 19
6 - 10 16 14 11 7 9
11 - 20 6 6 9 8 4
21 - 50 7 3 7 8 3
Over 50 5 3 5 7 5
Distance not reported 0 0 0 2 1
Table 8
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms
Location of Fatal Firearm Wounds, 1990-1999
Point of entry Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 610 57 68 55 67 78
Front head 204 25 26 14 28 22
Rear head 93 6 10 11 6 12
Front upper torso 227 19 23 18 20 35
Rear upper torso 47 4 5 8 5 4
Front below waist 30 3 3 4 6 4
Rear below waist 9 0 1 0 2 1
Point of entry 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 62 57 67 58 41
Front head 18 15 21 17 18
Rear head 10 12 9 11 6
Front upper torso 23 23 30 23 13
Rear upper torso 5 3 6 3 4
Front below waist 5 2 1 2 0
Rear below waist 1 2 0 2 0
Table 9
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms
Number Wearing Body Armor, 1990-1999
Point of entry Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total slain with firearms 610 57 68 55 67 78
Total wearing body armor 279 15 24 17 37 35
Head wounds 297 31 36 25 34 34
Wearing body armor 160 11 13 11 22 22
Upper torso wounds 274 23 28 26 25 39
Wearing body armor 101 2 9 5 11 11
Below waist wounds 39 3 4 4 8 5
Wearing body armor 18 2 2 1 4 2
Point of entry 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total slain with firearms 62 57 67 58 41
Total wearing body armor 32 31 27 34 27
Head wounds 28 27 30 28 24
Wearing body armor 20 19 10 16 16
Upper torso wounds 28 26 36 26 17
Wearing body armor 10 12 16 14 11
Below waist wounds 6 4 1 4 0
Wearing body armor 2 0 1 4 0
Table 10
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms
Shot in Upper Torso While Wearing Body Armor, 1990-1999
Point of entry Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 101 2 9 5 11 11
Entered between side
panels of vest 20 0 3 1 3 4
Entered through armhole or
shoulder area of vest 20 0 1 1 2 2
Entered above vest
(front or back of neck,
collarbone area) 34 2 2 1 2 4
Entered below vest
(abdominal or lower
back area) 7 0 1 0 1 0
Penetrated vest 20 0 2 2 3 1
Point of entry 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 10 12 16 14 11
Entered between side
panels of vest 2 4 2 1 0
Entered through armhole or
shoulder area of vest 3 2 2 1 6
Entered above vest
(front or back of neck,
collarbone area) 2 4 9 6 2
Entered below vest
(abdominal or lower
back area) 1 1 0 3 0
Penetrated vest 2 1 3 3 3
Table 11
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms that
Penetrated Vest
Type of Firearm and Size of Ammunition, 1990-1999
Type of firearm
Size of ammunition Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 20 0 2 2 3 1
Rifle
.223 Caliber 5 0 0 1 2 1
.30 Caliber 4 0 1 1 0 0
.30-06 Caliber 1 0 1 0 0 0
.30-30 Caliber 2 0 0 0 1 0
7.62x39 Millimeter 8 0 0 0 0 0
Type of firearm
Size of ammunition 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 2 1 3 3 3
Rifle
.223 Caliber 0 0 1 0 0
.30 Caliber 0 0 1 1 0
.30-06 Caliber 0 0 0 0 0
.30-30 Caliber 0 1 0 0 0
7.62x39 Millimeter 2 0 1 2 3
Places and Times
Table 12
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Time of Day, 1990-1999
Time of day Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 658 66 71 64 70 79
A.M.
12:01 - 2 86 10 13 7 13 9
2:01 - 4 54 4 12 6 5 8
4:01 - 6 28 1 5 0 2 7
6:01 - 8 23 2 0 4 0 3
8:01 - 10 48 1 2 7 6 5
10:01 - Noon 38 3 3 4 3 8
P.M.
12:01 - 2 53 5 6 5 5 3
2:01 - 4 48 4 3 2 4 8
4:01 - 6 50 5 7 4 3 6
6:01 - 8 39 7 4 3 4 9
8:01 - 10 91 11 8 10 8 7
10:01 - Midnight 97 13 8 12 17 6
Time not reported 3 0 0 0 0 0
Time of day 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 74 61 70 61 42
A.M.
12:01 - 2 9 7 6 7 5
2:01 - 4 5 5 5 2 2
4:01 - 6 6 0 6 0 1
6:01 - 8 3 3 1 6 1
8:01 - 10 11 4 4 5 3
10:01 - Noon 2 3 3 5 4
P.M.
12:01 - 2 2 5 14 5 3
2:01 - 4 7 3 6 6 5
4:01 - 6 4 7 5 4 5
6:01 - 8 2 4 2 2 2
8:01 - 10 11 10 8 10 8
10:01 - Midnight 12 7 10 9 3
Time not reported 0 3 0 0 0
Table 13
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Day of Week, 1990-1999
Day of week Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 658 66 71 64 70 79
Sunday 77 9 16 4 10 8
Monday 84 10 11 11 7 11
Tuesday 100 12 9 5 8 18
Wednesday 108 7 11 12 14 10
Thursday 94 13 7 7 13 7
Friday 110 7 7 15 10 18
Saturday 85 8 10 10 8 7
Day of week 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 74 61 70 61 42
Sunday 7 5 9 5 4
Monday 11 7 6 7 3
Tuesday 12 7 7 16 6
Wednesday 17 6 15 11 5
Thursday 10 12 11 7 7
Friday 9 12 13 10 9
Saturday 8 12 9 5 8
Table 14
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Month, 1990-1999
Month Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 658 66 71 64 70 79
January 66 7 12 4 3 6
February 53 4 6 4 12 9
March 55 8 5 5 6 4
April 72 6 12 6 4 5
May 54 6 3 6 4 5
June 50 12 6 3 6 8
July 46 3 3 4 6 2
August 55 4 4 6 6 8
September 55 6 6 9 0 10
October 59 4 3 4 10 5
November 43 3 5 7 4 9
December 50 3 6 6 9 8
Month 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 74 61 70 61 42
January 4 11 6 9 4
February 3 3 8 1 3
March 5 7 6 3 6
April 20 1 9 4 5
May 7 6 5 9 3
June 2 2 1 7 3
July 5 9 4 7 3
August 9 2 9 6 1
September 6 7 6 4 1
October 7 7 8 2 9
November 3 2 4 5 1
December 3 4 4 4 3
Table 15
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Population Group by Type of Assignment, 1999
Type of
assignment
Population group of victim 2-Officer
officer's agency Total vehicle
Total 42 3
Group I (cities 250,000 and over) 8 2
Group II (cities 100,000 - 249,999) 1 0
Group III (cities 50,000 - 99,999) 0 0
Group IV (cities 25,000 - 49,999) 4 0
Group V (cities 10,000 - 24,999) 2 0
Group VI (cities under 10,000) 8 0
Suburban counties 5 0
Rural counties 8 0
State agencies 5 1
Federal agencies 1 0
U.S. Territories 0 0
Type of assignment
1-Officer
vehicle Foot patrol
Population group of victim Assis- Assis-
officer's agency Alone ted Alone ted
Total 19 6 1 0
Group I (cities 250,000 and over) 1 1 0 0
Group II (cities 100,000 - 249,999) 0 0 0 0
Group III (cities 50,000 - 99,999) 0 0 0 0
Group IV (cities 25,000 - 49,999) 3 0 0 0
Group V (cities 10,000 - 24,999) 1 0 0 0
Group VI (cities under 10,000) 4 2 0 0
Suburban counties 2 1 0 0
Rural counties 5 1 0 0
State agencies 3 1 0 0
Federal agencies 0 0 1 0
U.S. Territories 0 0 0 0
Type of assignment
Detective/
special
assignment
Population group of victim Off
officer's agency Alone Assisted duty
Total 2 10 1
Group I (cities 250,000 and over) 1 3 0
Group II (cities 100,000 - 249,999) 0 1 0
Group III (cities 50,000 - 99,999) 0 0 0
Group IV (cities 25,000 - 49,999) 0 1 0
Group V (cities 10,000 - 24,999) 1 0 0
Group VI (cities under 10,000) 0 1 1
Suburban counties 0 2 0
Rural counties 0 2 0
State agencies 0 0 0
Federal agencies 0 0 0
U.S. Territories 0 0 0
Table 16
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Region, Division, and State, 1990-1999
Area Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 658 66 71 64 70 79
NORTHEAST 76 7 7 8 9 12
New England 17 1 2 1 1 6
Connecticut 3 0 1 1 0 0
Maine 0 0 0 0 0 0
Massachusetts 9 1 1 0 1 4
New Hampshire 4 0 0 0 0 1
Rhode Island 1 0 0 0 0 1
Vermont 0 0 0 0 0 0
Middle Atlantic 59 6 5 7 8 6
New Jersey 10 0 0 0 1 2
New York 28 2 3 4 3 3
Pennsylvania 21 4 2 3 4 1
MIDWEST 119 14 20 8 11 16
East North Central 82 10 12 5 8 11
Illinois 20 3 2 5 1 1
Indiana 13 0 1 0 4 1
Michigan 18 3 6 0 1 3
Ohio 17 1 1 0 2 2
Wisconsin 14 3 2 0 0 4
West North Central 37 4 8 3 3 5
Iowa 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kansas 7 0 1 0 0 0
Minnesota 10 1 2 1 1 2
Missouri 15 2 5 2 0 3
Nebraska 3 1 0 0 1 0
North Dakota 2 0 0 0 1 0
South Dakota 0 0 0 0 0 0
SOUTH 280 31 29 28 31 24
South Atlantic 131 16 12 14 14 14
Delaware 0 0 0 0 0 0
District of Columbia 12 0 0 0 2 3
Florida 27 7 2 3 3 0
Georgia 26 2 4 2 1 3
Maryland 8 2 0 2 1 0
North Carolina 28 1 4 3 4 2
South Carolina 17 3 2 4 1 1
Virginia 11 1 0 0 1 5
West Virginia 2 0 0 0 1 0
East South Central 61 9 5 7 3 7
Alabama 12 0 0 1 1 3
Kentucky 12 2 1 4 1 0
Mississippi 20 3 1 2 1 3
Tennessee 17 4 3 0 0 1
West South Central 88 6 12 7 14 3
Arkansas 11 0 2 1 0 0
Louisiana 15 2 0 3 2 0
Oklahoma 13 1 0 0 1 0
Texas 49 3 10 3 11 3
WEST 127 9 7 13 11 18
Mountain 47 3 4 4 3 8
Arizona 16 0 2 1 1 1
Colorado 9 0 0 2 0 2
Idaho 4 0 0 1 0 1
Montana 3 2 0 0 0 1
Nevada 6 1 0 0 1 0
New Mexico 6 0 2 0 0 2
Utah 2 0 0 0 1 1
Wyoming 1 0 0 0 0 0
Pacific 80 6 3 9 8 10
Alaska 5 0 0 1 0 0
California 63 5 3 6 8 8
Hawaii 2 1 0 0 0 0
Oregon 4 0 0 2 0 0
Washington 6 0 0 0 0 2
U.S. TERRITORIES 56 5 8 7 8 9
American Samoa 0 0 0 0 0 0
Guam 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mariana Islands 1 0 0 0 0 0
Puerto Rico 54 5 7 7 8 9
U.S. Virgin Islands 1 0 1 0 0 0
Area 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 74 61 70 61 42
NORTHEAST 8 10 7 3 5
New England 1 0 3 0 2
Connecticut 0 0 0 0 1
Maine 0 0 0 0 0
Massachusetts 1 0 0 0 1
New Hampshire 0 0 3 0 0
Rhode Island 0 0 0 0 0
Vermont 0 0 0 0 0
Middle Atlantic 7 10 4 3 3
New Jersey 3 0 2 0 2
New York 2 6 2 3 0
Pennsylvania 2 4 0 0 1
MIDWEST 8 15 11 10 6
East North Central 5 10 9 8 4
Illinois 2 2 1 1 2
Indiana 0 0 4 2 1
Michigan 1 1 0 2 1
Ohio 1 5 4 1 0
Wisconsin 1 2 0 2 0
West North Central 3 5 2 2 2
Iowa 0 0 0 0 0
Kansas 2 1 1 1 1
Minnesota 0 2 1 0 0
Missouri 0 1 0 1 1
Nebraska 1 0 0 0 0
North Dakota 0 1 0 0 0
South Dakota 0 0 0 0 0
SOUTH 32 24 32 29 20
South Atlantic 10 11 14 16 10
Delaware 0 0 0 0 0
District of Columbia 2 0 3 2 0
Florida 2 4 1 5 0
Georgia 2 3 2 2 5
Maryland 2 0 1 0 0
North Carolina 2 2 5 2 3
South Carolina 0 2 2 1 1
Virginia 0 0 0 3 1
West Virginia 0 0 0 1 0
East South Central 6 3 11 7 3
Alabama 2 1 2 2 0
Kentucky 0 0 1 2 1
Mississippi 1 0 5 3 1
Tennessee 3 2 3 0 1
West South Central 16 10 7 6 7
Arkansas 3 1 3 1 0
Louisiana 3 4 1 0 0
Oklahoma 8 1 0 0 2
Texas 2 4 3 5 5
WEST 23 6 15 14 11
Mountain 11 1 5 4 4
Arizona 5 1 1 1 3
Colorado 3 0 1 1 0
Idaho 0 0 1 1 0
Montana 0 0 0 0 0
Nevada 2 0 1 1 0
New Mexico 0 0 1 0 1
Utah 0 0 0 0 0
Wyoming 1 0 0 0 0
Pacific 12 5 10 10 7
Alaska 0 1 1 1 1
California 11 4 7 7 4
Hawaii 0 0 0 0 1
Oregon 0 0 1 1 0
Washington 1 0 1 1 1
U.S. TERRITORIES 3 6 5 5 0
American Samoa 0 0 0 0 0
Guam 0 0 0 0 0
Mariana Islands 1 0 0 0 0
Puerto Rico 2 6 5 5 0
U.S. Virgin Islands 0 0 0 0 0
Figure 1. Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed and Assaulted
Time of Day, 1990-999
Percent of 658 officers Percent of 618,162
feloniously killed officers assaulted
Midnight to 6 a.m. 25.5% 30.3%
6 a.m. to Noon 16.6% 9.8%
Noon to 6 p.m. 22.9% 20.2%
6 p.m. to Midnight 34.5% 39.7%
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Figure 2. Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Region, 1999
Percent Percent of all Percent of all law
of total law enforcement enforcement officers
U.S. population officers employed feloniously killed
WEST 22% 18% 26%
MIDWEST 23% 22% 14%
SOUTH 35% 31% 48%
NORTHEAST 19% 29% 12%
Due to rounding, percentage may not add to total.
Population and officer employee data are not available for all
U.S. Territories.
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Circumstances Surrounding Death
Table 17
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident by Region, 1999
Circumstance at
scene of incident Total Northeast Midwest
Total 42 5 6
Disturbance calls 7 1 0
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 6 1 0
Family quarrels 1 0 0
Arrest situations 12 3 2
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 0 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 4 2 0
Drug-related matters 2 0 0
Attempting other arrests 6 1 2
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 2 0 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 7 0 3
Ambush situations 6 0 0
Entrapment/premeditation 4 0 0
Unprovoked attack 2 0 0
Mentally deranged assailant 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 8 1 1
Circumstance at U.S.
scene of incident South West Territories
Total 20 11 0
Disturbance calls 6 0 0
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 5 0 0
Family quarrels 0 0 0
Arrest situations 4 3 0
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 0 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 0 2 0
Drug-related matters 1 1 0
Attempting other arrests 3 0 0
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 1 1 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 2 2 0
Ambush situations 4 2 0
Entrapment/premeditation 4 0 0
Unprovoked attack 0 2 0
Mentally deranged assailant 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 3 3 0
Table 18
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident by Region, 1990-1999
Circumstance at
scene of incident Total Northeast Midwest
Total 658 76 119
Disturbance calls 105 8 21
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 43 6 9
Family quarrels 62 2 12
Arrest situations 228 36 42
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 26 4 9
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 90 17 14
Drug-related matters 35 4 4
Attempting other arrests 77 11 15
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 26 1 7
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 109 15 24
Ambush situations 87 6 11
Entrapment/premeditation 37 2 3
Unprovoked attack 50 4 8
Mentally deranged assailant 9 2 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 94 8 14
Circumstance at U.S.
scene of incident South West Territories
Total 280 127 56
Disturbance calls 44 29 3
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 16 9 3
Family quarrels 28 20 0
Arrest situations 84 40 26
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 8 5 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 27 12 20
Drug-related matters 14 11 2
Attempting other arrests 35 12 4
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 13 4 1
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 40 23 7
Ambush situations 48 8 14
Entrapment/premeditation 22 5 5
Unprovoked attack 26 3 9
Mentally deranged assailant 3 3 1
Traffic pursuits/stops 48 20 4
Table 19
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident, 1990-1999
Circumstance at
scene of incident Total 1990 1991 1992
Total 658 66 71 64
Disturbance calls 105 10 17 11
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 43 5 8 2
Family quarrels 62 5 9 9
Arrest situations 228 30 14 27
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 26 1 3 5
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 90 13 4 11
Drug-related matters 35 5 3 3
Attempting other arrests 77 11 4 8
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 26 2 6 2
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 109 9 10 7
Ambush situations 87 8 11 7
Entrapment/premeditation 37 2 5 5
Unprovoked attack 50 6 6 2
Mentally deranged assailant 9 1 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 94 6 13 10
Circumstance at
scene of incident 1993 1994 1995 1996
Total 70 79 74 61
Disturbance calls 10 8 8 4
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 5 4 2 1
Family quarrels 5 4 6 3
Arrest situations 28 33 21 26
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 1 4 4 3
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 9 17 7 12
Drug-related matters 3 4 4 3
Attempting other arrests 15 8 6 8
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 1 1 4 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 15 15 17 13
Ambush situations 5 8 14 6
Entrapment/premeditation 3 1 6 2
Unprovoked attack 2 7 8 4
Mentally deranged assailant 1 4 1 1
Traffic pursuits/stops 10 10 9 11
Circumstance at
scene of incident 1997 1998 1999
Total 70 61 42
Disturbance calls 14 16 7
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 3 7 6
Family quarrels 11 9 1
Arrest situations 21 16 12
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 5 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 10 3 4
Drug-related matters 1 7 2
Attempting other arrests 5 6 6
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 4 4 2
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 10 6 7
Ambush situations 12 10 6
Entrapment/premeditation 5 4 4
Unprovoked attack 7 6 2
Mentally deranged assailant 1 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 8 9 8
Table 20
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident by Type of Assignment, 1999
Type of assignment
1-Officer
vehicle
Circumstance at 2-Officer
scene of incident Total vehicle Alone Assisted
Total 42 3 19 6
Disturbance calls 7 0 2 2
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 6 0 2 2
Family quarrels 1 0 0 0
Arrest situations 12 1 4 2
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary
suspects 0 0 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery
suspects 4 0 3 0
Drug-related matters 2 1 1 0
Attempting other arrests 6 0 0 2
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot,
etc.) 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 2 0 2 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 7 0 3 0
Ambush situations 6 1 3 1
Entrapment/premeditation 4 0 2 1
Unprovoked attack 2 1 1 0
Mentally deranged
assailant 0 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 8 1 5 1
Type of assignment
Detective/
special
Foot patrol assignment
Circumstance at Off
scene of incident Alone Assisted Alone Assisted duty
Total 1 0 2 10 1
Disturbance calls 0 0 1 2 0
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 0 0 0 2 0
Family quarrels 0 0 1 0 0
Arrest situations 0 0 0 5 0
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary
suspects 0 0 0 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery
suspects 0 0 0 1 0
Drug-related matters 0 0 0 0 0
Attempting other arrests 0 0 0 4 0
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot,
etc.) 0 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 0 0 0 0 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 1 0 0 3 0
Ambush situations 0 0 0 0 1
Entrapment/premeditation 0 0 0 0 1
Unprovoked attack 0 0 0 0 0
Mentally deranged
assailant 0 0 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 0 0 1 0 0
Table 21
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident by Type of Assignment, 1990-1999
Type of assignment
1-Officer
vehicle
Circumstance at 2-Officer
scene of incident Total vehicle Alone Assisted
Total 658 87 200 120
Disturbance calls 105 21 29 38
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 43 10 7 17
Family quarrels 62 11 22 21
Arrest situations 228 23 40 42
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary
suspects 26 3 12 4
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery
suspects 90 9 14 16
Drug-related matters 35 4 3 2
Attempting other arrests 77 7 11 20
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot,
etc.) 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 26 2 9 2
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 109 18 43 14
Ambush situations 87 9 19 7
Entrapment/premeditation 37 5 10 4
Unprovoked attack 50 4 9 3
Mentally deranged 9 0 2 3
Traffic pursuits/stops 94 14 58 14
Type of assignment
Detective/
special
Foot patrol assignment
Circumstance at Off
scene of incident Alone Assisted Alone Assisted duty
Total 5 7 41 95 103
Disturbance calls 1 0 2 5 9
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 0 0 0 3 6
Family quarrels 1 0 2 2 3
Arrest situations 1 6 7 57 52
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary
suspects 0 0 1 3 3
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery
suspects 0 2 2 6 41
Drug-related matters 0 2 3 21 0
Attempting other arrests 1 2 1 27 8
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot,
etc.) 0 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 0 0 5 8 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 3 1 3 12 15
Ambush situations 0 0 21 8 23
Entrapment/premeditation 0 0 5 0 13
Unprovoked attack 0 0 16 8 10
Mentally deranged 0 0 0 4 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 0 0 3 1 4
Table 22
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident by Type of Weapon, 1999
Circumstance at
scene of incident Total Handgun Rifle Shotgun
Total 42 25 11 5
Disturbance calls 7 4 1 2
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 6 3 1 2
Family quarrels 1 1 0 0
Arrest situations 12 6 3 3
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary
suspects 0 0 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery
suspects 4 2 2 0
Drug-related matters 2 1 1 0
Attempting other arrests 6 3 0 3
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot,
etc.) 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 2 2 0 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 7 6 0 0
Ambush situations 6 0 6 0
Entrapment/premeditation 4 0 4 0
Unprovoked attack 2 0 2 0
Mentally deranged
assailant 0 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 8 7 1 0
Circumstance at Total Personal
scene of incident firearms Knife Bomb weapons Other
Total 41 0 0 0 1
Disturbance calls 7 0 0 0 0
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 6 0 0 0 0
Family quarrels 1 0 0 0 0
Arrest situations 12 0 0 0 0
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary
suspects 0 0 0 0 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery
suspects 4 0 0 0 0
Drug-related matters 2 0 0 0 0
Attempting other arrests 6 0 0 0 0
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot,
etc.) 0 0 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 2 0 0 0 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 6 0 0 0 1
Ambush situations 6 0 0 0 0
Entrapment/premeditation 4 0 0 0 0
Unprovoked attack 2 0 0 0 0
Mentally deranged
assailant 0 0 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 8 0 0 0 0
Table 23
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident by Type of Weapon, 1990-1999
Circumstance at
scene of incident Total Handgun Rifle
Total 658 466 112
Disturbance calls 105 53 31
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 43 21 14
Family quarrels 62 32 17
Arrest situations 228 179 33
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 26 19 2
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 90 82 5
Drug-related matters 35 28 7
Attempting other arrests 77 50 19
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 26 24 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 109 86 10
Ambush situations 87 53 21
Entrapment/premeditation 37 19 12
Unprovoked attack 50 34 9
Mentally deranged assailant 9 5 1
Traffic pursuits/stops 94 66 16
Circumstance at Total
scene of incident Shotgun firearms Knife
Total 32 610 10
Disturbance calls 12 96 2
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 5 40 0
Family quarrels 7 56 2
Arrest situations 11 223 2
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 3 24 0
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 2 89 1
Drug-related matters 0 35 0
Attempting other arrests 6 75 1
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 0 24 1
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 3 99 3
Ambush situations 4 78 1
Entrapment/premeditation 3 34 1
Unprovoked attack 1 44 0
Mentally deranged assailant 2 8 1
Traffic pursuits/stops 0 82 0
Circumstance at Personal
scene of incident Bomb weapons Other
Total 11 5 22
Disturbance calls 0 2 5
Bar fights, man
with gun, etc. 0 2 1
Family quarrels 0 0 4
Arrest situations 0 1 2
Burglaries in progress/
pursuing burglary suspects 0 1 1
Robberies in progress/
pursuing robbery suspects 0 0 0
Drug-related matters 0 0 0
Attempting other arrests 0 0 1
Civil disorders (mass
disobedience, riot, etc.) 0 0 0
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 0 1 0
Investigating suspicious
persons/circumstances 2 0 5
Ambush situations 8 0 0
Entrapment/premeditation 2 0 0
Unprovoked attack 6 0 0
Mentally deranged assailant 0 0 0
Traffic pursuits/stops 1 1 10
Figure 3. Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed and Assaulted
Circumstance at Scene of Incident, 1990-1999
Percent of 658 officers Percent of 618,162
feloniously killed officers assaulted
Disturbance calls 16.0% 31.5%
Arrest situations 34.7% 22.6%
Civil disorders
(mass disobedience,
riot, etc.) 0% 1.4%
Handling, transporting,
custody of prisoners 4.0% 11.6%
Investigating
suspicious persons/
circumstances 16.6% 9.6%
Ambush situations 13.2% 0.5%
Mentally deranged
assailant 1.4% 1.5%
Traffic pursuits/stops 14.3% 9.5%
All other 0% 11.9%
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Profiles of Victim Officers and Assailants
Table 24
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Profile of Victim Officers, 1990-1999
1990- 1995- 1990-
Victim officers 1999 1994 1999 1999
Total 42 350 308 658
Age
Under 25 years of age 1 24 18 42
From 25 through 30 years of age 10 90 86 176
From 31 through 40 years of age 23 129 106 235
Over 40 years of age 8 105 95 200
Age not reported 0 2 3 5
Average years of age 36 36 36 36
Sex
Male 39 339 296 635
Female 3 11 12 23
Race
White 37 294 255 549
Black 3 53 39 92
Asian/Pacific Islander 0 3 7 10
American Indian/Alaskan Native 2 0 5 5
Race not reported 0 0 2 2
Years of service
Less than 1 year of service 1 20 18 38
From 1 through 4 years of service 11 97 80 177
From 5 through 10 years of service 16 96 103 199
Over 10 years of service 14 130 100 230
Years of service not reported 0 7 7 14
Average years of service 9 10 9 10
Average height 5'11" 5'11" 5'11" 5'11"
In uniform 31 237 223 460
Wearing protective body armor 27 133 157 290
Table 25
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Profile of Known Assailants, 1990-1999
1990-
Known assailants 1999 1994
Total 49 487
Age
Under 18 years of age 3 63
From 18 through 24 years of age 24 169
From 25 through 30 years of age 10 86
From 31 through 40 years of age 10 74
Over 40 years of age 2 59
Age not reported 0 36
Average years of age 27 27
Sex
Male 47 455
Female 2 12
Sex not reported 0 20
Race
White 27 240
Black 19 211
Asian/Pacific Islander 0 4
American Indian/Alaskan Native 2 2
Race not reported 1 30
Criminal history
Prior criminal arrest 41 291
Convicted on prior criminal charge 30 211
Prior arrest for crime of violence 11 164
On parole or probation at time of killing 14 92
Prior arrest for murder 1 16
Prior arrest for drug law violation 21 120
Prior arrest for assaulting an officer
or resisting arrest 19 67
Prior arrest for weapons violation 19 151
1995- 1990-
Known assailants 1999 1999
Total 376 863
Age
Under 18 years of age 38 101
From 18 through 24 years of age 141 310
From 25 through 30 years of age 81 167
From 31 through 40 years of age 60 134
Over 40 years of age 44 103
Age not reported 12 48
Average years of age 28 28
Sex
Male 364 819
Female 11 23
Sex not reported 1 21
Race
White 189 429
Black 148 359
Asian/Pacific Islander 11 15
American Indian/Alaskan Native 12 14
Race not reported 16 46
Criminal history
Prior criminal arrest 259 550
Convicted on prior criminal charge 195 406
Prior arrest for crime of violence 122 286
On parole or probation at time of killing 86 178
Prior arrest for murder 9 25
Prior arrest for drug law violation 133 253
Prior arrest for assaulting an officer
or resisting arrest 69 136
Prior arrest for weapons violation 114 265
Table 26
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed
Disposition of Persons Identified, 1988-1997
Persons identified 1988-1992 1993-1997 1988-1997
Total 498 454 952
Fugitives 3 7 10
Arrested and charged 411 349 760
Guilty of murder 292 245 537
Death sentence 56 63 119
Life imprisonment 130 113 243
Prison terms
(Ranging from 18 months
through 396 years) 105 68 173
Probation 1 1 2
Guilty of lesser offense related
to murder 43 25 68
Guilty of crime other than murder 24 20 44
Acquitted/dismissed/nolle prossed 34 27 61
Indeterminate charge and sentence 2 3 5
Committed to psychiatric
institution 10 6 16
Case pending/disposition unknown 1 18 19
Died in custody prior to
sentencing 5 5 10
Deceased 84 98 182
Justifiably killed 59 58 117
by victim officer 18 13 31
by person(s) other than victim
officer 41 45 86
Committed suicide 24 38 62
Murdered while at large 1 0 1
Died under other circumstances 0 2 2
Summaries of Incidents Summaries of Felonious Incidents Alaska At approximately 1:30 a.m. on May 15, a 30-year-old patrol officer with the Palmer Police Department was mortally wounded while checking on the welfare of a man slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle. The officer woke the man and had him step out of his truck. The officer, who had nearly 4 years of law enforcement experience, was notified by radio that the owner of the vehicle was known to carry a weapon. At that point, the man jumped back into his truck, followed by the officer who tried to gain control of the subject. The subject allegedly fired a single shot from a .22-caliber handgun. The bullet struck the victim officer in the front upper torso/chest, entering above his body armor. The victim officer fired two shots, wounding the man. The 52-year-old alleged killer was treated at a local hospital. He has been arrested and charged with Homicide. Arizona A 38-year-old police officer with 4 years of law enforcement experience was shot and killed at approximately 3 p.m. on April 16 as he and fellow officers with the Chandler Police Department's SWAT team were attempting to apprehend suspects following a jewelry store robbery in Tempe. Police officers from Tempe pursued three suspects to an apartment complex in the neighboring city of Chandler. Units from the Chandler Police Department joined in the search for the suspects and located an apartment where a forced entry had apparently occurred. Efforts to contact anyone inside the apartment were unsuccessful. After a diversionary device was detonated outside the front door, the victim officer led a four-person entry team into the apartment. A male, armed with a 7.62x39 semiautomatic rifle, opened fire on the team. The victim officer, who was wearing body armor, was shot in the front upper torso/chest, front lower torso/stomach, and received a fatal wound to the front of the head. The 26-year-old suspect was shot and killed as other members of the entry team returned fire. Two additional suspects, both 24-year-old males, were arrested later the same day as they attempted to walk away from the apartment complex. The two men were each charged with First-Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and Burglary. One of the suspects was also charged with Parole Violation. A police officer with the Phoenix Police Department was slain at approximately 5:30 p.m. on March 26 during an investigation of drug-related matters. The officer along with two other officers was investigating a report of drugs being dealt from a vehicle parked in the parking lot of a local tavern. While waiting for the vehicle's occupants to come out of the tavern, two of the three officers surveilling the scene were called away on other assignments. After three males emerged from the bar and left in the vehicle in question, the 28-year-old officer, who had nearly 5 years of law enforcement experience, followed them in his patrol car advising on the radio that he was in pursuit. According to witnesses, the officer's car turned a corner where a male who had exited the suspect's vehicle and was stationed beside it began firing shots at the officer. The patrol car continued a short distance before it crashed into a utility pole. The victim officer, who was wearing protective body armor, was mortally wounded by shots fired from a .357 caliber revolver into the right side of his head. Witnessing the shooting, a citizen who had a permit to carry a weapon drew his own weapon and shot the assailant in the back, wounding him. The citizen disarmed the man before responding officers arrived and took the suspect into custody. The other two males who were in the car fled the scene on foot but were soon apprehended by responding officers. The 17-year-old alleged assailant, who had a non-law enforcement relationship with the victim officer, was arrested and charged with Homicide and Aggravated Assault with a Weapon. The other two suspects, aged 22 and 18, were also arrested and charged with Homicide and Narcotics Selling. Just before noon on December 9, a 38-year-old patrol officer with the White Mountain Apache Police Department was assaulted, shot, and killed during a felony vehicle traffic stop. The veteran officer, with over 8 years of law enforcement experience, was advised by radio of a burglary at a local store and given a description of the vehicle observed leaving the scene. The officer responded to the area of the burglary and noticed a pickup truck fitting that description on a remote road in a wooded area. The officer stopped the truck and ordered the driver to exit. While in the process of being handcuffed, the driver began to resist the officer, and a struggle ensued. During the altercation, the officer fired one shot from his 10 mm semiautomatic service pistol and hit the man in the shoulder. At this time, the man's son allegedly exited the vehicle and helped his father force the officer to the ground. After striking the victim officer in the head with a rock, the 38-year-old alleged assailant, who was on probation and under the influence of alcohol at the time, picked up the officer's weapon and fatally shot him in the back of the head at point-blank range. The man and his 18-year-old son then fled into the woods. An intensive multiagency manhunt was initiated; the two were arrested a few miles away the next morning and charged with Homicide of a Police Officer and First-Degree Murder. California A 41-year-old police officer with the Oakland Police Department was shot and killed just after midnight on January 10 by a sniper on a highway overpass as the officer searched a roadside for a weapon discarded during a vehicle pursuit. The officer, with nearly 5 years of police experience, was attempting to recover a shotgun that allegedly had been tossed from a vehicle that other officers had been pursuing. As the victim officer and his field training officer were searching the roadside, a sniper positioned himself on a nearby overpass and fired a 7.62 mm semiautomatic rifle at the two officers. The training officer was struck in his handcuff case and was unharmed; however, the victim officer was struck in the upper back where the bullet penetrated his body armor and mortally wounded him. Reportedly, the sniper believed the shootings would cause officers still in pursuit of his friends' vehicle to terminate the chase and return to the fallen officers. A 19-year-old male was arrested later that afternoon and charged with Murder. At approximately 1 a.m. on June 12, a deputy sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff's Department was killed while conducting a routine patrol. The 34-year-old deputy drove his patrol vehicle into the parking lot of a convenience store. A man carrying a 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle was inside the store purchasing a pack of cigarettes. The deputy, a veteran with nearly 9 years of law enforcement service, entered the parking lot and activated the vehicle's overhead lights as the man exited the store. At some point as the officer drove into the parking lot, he attempted to broadcast a standby, emergency-traffic-only message. The man allegedly opened fire on the deputy still seated in his vehicle. The victim officer was struck repeatedly by rounds that penetrated his ballistic vest. He was fatally wounded by shots that struck him in the front of the head. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested without incident several hours later near his residence. The 39-year-old alleged offender, who had prior arrests, was charged with First-Degree Murder with Special Circumstance of Killing a Peace Officer. A 34-year-old deputy with the Riverside County Sheriff's Office was shot at approximately 1:30 p.m. on October 8 when he responded to a robbery-in-progress call at a residence in an unincorporated area of the city. The deputy, with 3 years of law enforcement experience, interviewed two witnesses at the scene. Reportedly, one of the witnesses told the deputy that a man in the residence was armed. After radioing for backup, the deputy approached the rear of the residence; an assailant fired at him with a 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle. Although the victim officer was wearing body armor, the shot penetrated the vest and fatally wounded him in the back. Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene. When backup personnel arrived, the deputy was transported to a local hospital where he died at approximately 4:30 p.m. Meanwhile, responding officers assisted a female who had emerged from the residence wrapped in duct tape. She had been house-sitting for the homeowners and was alone when the robbery began. The woman said that she had been attacked, knocked unconscious, and bound in duct tape. She added that possibly three males were involved in the robbery and that one of them was her grandson. Approximately two hours later, the alleged shooter, the woman's 17-year-old grandson, was located by officers. After he fired at them, the officers shot and killed him. The male, who was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, was a documented street gang member and an escapee from a local juvenile detention center. He had prior arrests including Minor in Possession of a Firearm and Resisting Arrest. Another male was detained in conjunction with the case, but investigators determined later that the deceased suspect acted alone in the officer's murder. A 28-year-old officer with the Sacramento Police Department was shot and killed at approximately 8:20 p.m. on February 9 during a felony vehicle stop. The officer, with 8 years of law enforcement experience, and his partner had stopped a vehicle to investigate the driver whom they suspected was wanted for parole violation. The man offered some sketchy identification information, then, while the officers were verifying the information, fled in his vehicle. The officers pursued the suspect, who stopped a second time. The victim officer exited the police car and approached the suspect's vehicle. The driver allegedly produced a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol and shot at the officer, striking him in the arm and in the chest through the armhole of his protective vest. The 35-year-old alleged assailant then fled the scene on foot but was apprehended later and charged with Murder and Parole Violation. The victim officer was taken by life flight to a hospital where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later. Connecticut A 26-year-old police officer with the East Hartford Police Department was shot at approximately 9:15 p.m. on January 23 while responding to what was initially reported as a noise complaint. The officer, with nearly two years of law enforcement experience, arrived at the scene and encountered a male leaving an apartment. Upon being questioned by the officer, who was wearing body armor, the man allegedly produced a .38-caliber handgun and shot the officer once in the front of the head. A second officer, who was dispatched to the incident in a separate vehicle, discovered the victim officer who was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead the same day. Subsequent investigation revealed that the noise referred to in the original complaint was related to a robbery in progress. During the robbery, a man had allegedly assaulted an individual, bound him with tape, and took his weapon--the firearm used against the victim officer. The alleged robber was accompanied by a female. Reportedly, another female accomplice, who was said to have planned the robbery, and a male accomplice were waiting outside the building. The four individuals fled the scene. The male suspect, who was on probation, and the two females were located and arrested on January 27, and the male in the getaway car was located and arrested on January 29. The 23-year-old suspect was charged with Murder, Capital Murder, Felony Murder, First-Degree Assault, Kidnaping-with a Firearm, First-Degree Burglary, First-Degree Robbery, Stealing a Firearm, Criminal Weapon Use, and Criminal Weapon Possession. The 29-year-old female who accompanied him was charged with Capital Murder, Felony Murder, First-Degree Assault, First-Degree Burglary, First-Degree Robbery, First-Degree Kidnaping, and Theft of a Firearm. The pair, who had been waiting in the vehicle (a female aged 23 and a man aged 45) were charged with Felony Murder, First-Degree Kidnaping, First-Degree Burglary, and First-Degree Robbery. Georgia At approximately 7:30 p.m. on March 31, a 24-year-old patrol officer with the Atlanta Police Department was killed while assisting in an arrest attempt. Shortly after an officer stopped to help a stranded motorist push a vehicle out of the street, the motorist became physically and verbally abusive and attempted to leave. Suspecting that the vehicle was stolen, the officer called for backup. When three backup officers arrived, the man became violent, and the original responding officer wrestled him to the ground to subdue him. As the officers attempted to roll the suspect over to handcuff him, the suspect pulled a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and fired several rounds, fatally striking one of the backup officers in the front of his head as well as in his arms and hands. The victim officer, who was wearing protective body armor, had over 3 years' law enforcement experience. A second officer was also shot at, but he was unharmed because the round was deflected by his police radio. During the incident, the officers returned fire, hitting the suspect in the leg. However, the suspect escaped the scene in a patrol car. Shortly thereafter, the suspect wrecked the patrol car and fled on foot to a nearby church where he was apprehended by other officers. The 24-year-old male, who had prior arrests and was on probation, was arrested and charged with Murder of an Officer. A patrol officer and a sergeant with the Cobb County Police Department were shot and killed during a tactical situation on July 23. Two other officers from the department were dispatched early in the evening to a disturbance call. After the suspect in the disturbance fired at and injured one of the responding officers, numerous officers and detectives from different units and precincts arrived and established a perimeter around the suspect's residence. A hostage negotiator tried unsuccessfully to talk the suspect, who was holding his mother against her will, out of the house, so a decision was made for the SWAT team to enter the residence. At approximately 11 p.m. the first team entered the basement of the home. Hearing the basement team's entry begin, a second team of five members entered through a carport door that led into the kitchen. Once the entries began, several gunshots were heard in rapid succession, and members of the carport entry team reported two officers were down. The wounded officers, a 32-year-old patrol officer with 7 years' law enforcement experience, and a 35-year-old sergeant with over 14 years' experience were each fatally wounded by shots from a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun to the front upper torso/chest that entered through the armhole/shoulder area of their protective vests. Both men were pulled from the house by officers surrounding the site and were taken to the hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival. The remaining officers retreated from the house using tear gas and a flash stun/concussion device to cover their retreat. The situation continued through the night. When the 40-year-old male suspect tried to climb out through a back window of the house the next morning, he was shot and killed. The man's mother was removed from the house and taken to a local hospital for observation and treatment. A 12-year veteran lieutenant with the Tybee Island Police Department died on April 12 at approximately 6 p.m. from injuries he sustained as a result of an automobile accident that occurred while in the pursuit of suspects. The 34-year-old lieutenant and his partner were investigating a series of automobile break-ins and noticed three or four people they believed to be involved. A check on the license plate of the car in which the individuals were traveling revealed that the vehicle was reported stolen. The officer and his partner pulled the car over, but as they approached the vehicle, the driver sped away. The officers returned to their vehicle and pursued the suspects. The lieutenant radioed the dispatcher that the suspects were trying to run the unmarked patrol car off the road. A short time later, the officers' vehicle left the roadway and crashed head-on into a palm tree along the side of the road, spun around, hit a second palm tree on the driver's side of the vehicle, and came to rest on the roadway. The victim officer, who received fatal injuries to the chest and front of the head, died before he could be transported to a local hospital. The other officer was seriously injured in the incident, but was expected to recover completely. Two days later, a 19-year-old male, the alleged driver of the stolen vehicle, was arrested and charged with Homicide and two counts of Aggravated Assault. A 35-year-old captain with the Villa Rica Police Department was fatally shot at close range at approximately 11:30 a.m. on January 20 during what was initially a routine traffic stop. Operating a marked patrol vehicle, the captain, a veteran law enforcement officer with 12 years' experience, had just executed a routine traffic stop and issued a warning ticket when he became suspicious that the motorist was transporting drugs in his vehicle. As the captain prepared to conduct a vehicle search, however, the motorist allegedly shot the victim officer in the right wrist and in the rear of the head with a .25-caliber handgun. He then fled the scene with the captain's citation book. Later, a passing motorist discovered the victim officer, who was wearing protective body armor, and summoned help. The captain was airlifted to an area medical center where he died at 3:50 p.m. the same day. A 32-year-old suspect with an extensive criminal history and whose name appeared on a copy of the citation found at the scene remained at large until he was apprehended in Canada. He was charged with Murder and extradited to the United States for trial. Hawaii On December 12 at approximately 10:30 a.m., a 47-year-old ranger with the National Park Service was killed while investigating a suspicious person. During a foot patrol of an isolated beach near Kailua-Kona, the veteran officer, with over 8 years of law enforcement experience, was investigating complaints that a homeless man and his three dogs were harassing park visitors. When the ranger confronted the individual, an altercation ensued, and the dogs attacked the ranger, biting his legs. During the struggle, the man allegedly gained possession of the ranger's 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and shot him in the chest and fatally in the front of the head. He then allegedly attempted to conceal the body and left the scene with the ranger's handgun, magazine, pepper spray cannister, handcuffs, binoculars, and citation book. A 30-year-old man with a history of prior arrests including Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Resisting Arrest was located and arrested on December 14. He was charged with Homicide-Murder of a Federal Officer. Illinois At approximately 2:50 in the afternoon on January 9, a 38-year-old patrol officer with the Chicago Police Department was shot and killed during an investigation of suspicious persons in a vehicle. The officer, a 9-year law enforcement veteran, and his partner were in pursuit of two suspects who had fled the scene and had been observed traveling in the wrong direction on a one-way street. During the chase, the suspect vehicle struck a parked car, both occupants exited, and the 23-year-old male driver allegedly fired on the officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. The victim officer, who was wearing body armor, was fatally struck in the forehead while still in his vehicle and died instantly. His partner was also wounded in the exchange of gunfire. The suspects fled the scene, but the alleged shooter, who had a long history of previous violent arrests, was apprehended a short time later and charged with Murder and Attempted Murder. The wounded officer was treated and has recovered from his injuries and is back on duty. A 34-year-old plainclothes police officer with the Chicago Police Department was shot and killed on March 9 at approximately 2 p.m. while conducting an investigation of suspicious persons. The officer, who had been with the department for nearly 5 years, and his partner approached a suspected stolen vehicle intending to question a male and female who were sitting inside. As his partner moved to the passenger side of the vehicle, the victim officer approached the driver. During the course of the investigation, the officer and the driver began struggling. The male allegedly gained control of the officer's 9 mm automatic weapon and subsequently shot him in the face with it. The partner then began struggling with the alleged shooter in an attempt to disarm him. During the altercation, the man fired a shot in the direction of a police vehicle that was arriving at the scene. The assisting officer thereupon stepped out of his patrol vehicle and returned fire, striking the suspect five times. The victim officer, who had been wearing body armor, was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital. The 38-year-old alleged assailant underwent surgery for his wounds and recovered. The second individual, a female who managed to flee from the scene during the confrontation, was later identified, questioned, and released without charge. The male was charged with Homicide. Indiana A 26-year-old trooper with the Indiana State Police was fatally shot as he initiated a traffic stop in a parking lot behind a store in Decatur at approximately 8 p.m. on April 3. The victim trooper, who had been assigned to the state police 4 months earlier, was exiting his patrol car after stopping a pickup truck when the driver stepped from his vehicle and opened fire with a 7.62x39 mm rifle that had been converted to fully automatic. The trooper, who was wearing body armor, was shot below the waist, in the arms, and fatally in the back of his head. The shooter then fled the scene. An employee from a nearby restaurant witnessed the shooting and was able to provide a description of the assailant and his vehicle to investigating officers. A 38-year-old male suspect was arrested the following day and charged with Murder. Kansas A Clay County deputy sheriff with 15 years of law enforcement experience was killed at approximately 4 p.m. on November 16 as he was conducting a search to locate an escapee. The deputy and two other officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the Morganville home of an escapee from the Cloud County Jail in Concordia. The deputy followed his police dog upstairs to an attic area. As the 62-year-old officer neared the top of the stairs, the subject, who was hiding in a dark area, allegedly fired a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun through the wall. The slug struck the victim deputy in the front of the head. The man then allegedly shot and killed the police dog. The victim deputy was transported to an area medical center where he died later that day. A 22-year-old male suspect surrendered a short time later and was charged with Capital Murder the following day. Kentucky A patrol officer with the Greenville Police Department was killed in an ambush at approximately 6 a.m. on June 27. As the 8-year veteran of law enforcement service, his wife, and daughter were getting into their vehicle in front of their home, the 29-year-old officer was killed by a .270-caliber bolt action rifle shot to the front of his head fired from the kitchen window of the house next door. The alleged shooter then approached the vehicle and fatally shot the officer's wife. Police responding to a report of shots fired arrested a 27-year-old suspect. He was charged with four counts of Capital Murder and one count of Theft or Unlawful Taking Over/$300. Investigation revealed that the suspect, who possibly suffered from a mental disorder and had killed both of his parents on the previous day, was related to the officer. Massachusetts A 52-year-old patrol officer with the Holyoke Police Department was shot and killed at approximately 8:50 a.m. on December 22 while responding to a disturbance call. Upon arrival at the scene, the veteran officer, who had more than 21 years of law enforcement experience, began following an individual believed to be involved in the disturbance. The suspect began to flee on foot with the officer following in his vehicle. Moments after the officer informed headquarters of the situation, the male turned and allegedly fired approximately 10 rounds from a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun into the officer's vehicle. The victim officer was struck five times including a fatal shot to the front upper torso/chest area. The officer was transported to an area medical center where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A 27-year-old male suspect was apprehended 5 days later in another state and charged with Capital Murder. Michigan A 26-year-old police officer with the Detroit Police Department's Vice Squad Unit was shot and killed at 1:30 p.m. on February 5 during an arrest attempt in a sting operation. After a male passenger in a pickup truck solicited an undercover officer for sex, the officer signaled for backup officers who made a traffic stop on the vehicle. The passenger in the truck exited the vehicle and began to walk away. As two of the backup officers confronted the man, a struggle ensued. The male broke free, turned, and fired five shots from a .38-caliber revolver. One of the two officers, who had more than 4 years of law enforcement experience, received a fatal shot above his body armor in the rear upper torso/back. The second backup officer, who had been in the process of detaining the driver, received a grazing wound to the head, a shot to the chest that hit his body armor, and a shot to the neck that critically injured him. The 21-year-old male shooter, who was running from the scene still pointing his weapon, was shot and killed by the other backup officers. The injured officer is expected to recover but has not yet returned to work. The driver of the vehicle was detained and questioned but was later released without being charged. Missouri A 43-year-old sergeant with the Missouri State Highway Patrol was shot and killed near St. Joseph on October 6 at approximately 5:35 p.m. while investigating a suspicious person. The officer, a 14-year law enforcement veteran, spotted a vehicle matching the description of one driven by a man who had been reported leaving a truck stop without paying for gasoline. The officer radioed the dispatcher that he was going to stop the vehicle. Minutes later, after the dispatcher was unable to contact the officer and a "Missing Persons--Caution Upon Contact" bulletin was received in reference to the license plate check on the vehicle, other officers were sent to the scene. Before the other officers arrived, the dispatcher received a call from an off-duty deputy sheriff on the victim sergeant's patrol radio reporting a shooting. According to witnesses, the subject had pulled to the side of the road, exited his vehicle, and walked to the back of it. When the man saw the sergeant, he then turned and walked back to the open door of his vehicle and allegedly reached inside for a gun. The officer chased after the suspect and jumped onto his back in an attempt to subdue him. A struggle ensued, during which the suspect allegedly shot the officer twice in the chest with a .357-caliber handgun. The officer, who was wearing body armor, apparently shot the suspect in the leg. Falling to the ground, the suspect then shot the sergeant in both arms, with the fatal wound occurring when one bullet entered the officer's chest through the armhole of his protective vest. The 24-year-old man then shot and killed himself. When responding officers arrived, they tended to the sergeant's injuries, but he died at the scene. Mississippi A 27-year-old deputy with the Prentiss County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed near the city of Rienzi at approximately 11 a.m. on March 11 while responding to a report of a person with a gun. The deputy, who had nearly 3 years' law enforcement service, was responsible for handling juvenile matters for the department and was not in uniform at the time of the incident, though he was displaying a badge on a duty belt. First to arrive at the scene, the deputy immediately spotted the subject, who was known to him from prior disturbance calls, driving along the county road. According to an eyewitness, the deputy stopped his marked patrol car in the middle of the road, exited his vehicle, and moved to speak to the driver, who stopped his vehicle alongside the patrol car. As the officer drew near, the driver allegedly shot him in the chest with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, striking his heart and killing him instantly. Subsequent rounds hit the fallen deputy in his arm and the back of his head. The alleged assailant then fled in his vehicle. A short time later, other law enforcement officers who had responded to the scene observed the automobile parked at the suspect's nearby residence. Upon investigation, the 29-year-old man was found lying in the front yard, dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. New Jersey A 38-year-old police officer with the Orange Police Department was shot and killed at approximately 8:40 p.m. on April 8 while assisting in the pursuit of a robbery suspect. The police officer, who had over 4 years' law enforcement experience, was traveling alone in her marked police vehicle when she spotted a male fitting the general description of the armed robber. She called for confirmation of the suspect's jacket color and pulled her vehicle to the corner of an intersection in order to question the individual who was on foot. According to witnesses, the officer and suspect exchanged words, and the officer went to the front of the vehicle to either search or apprehend the suspect. Pulling away from the officer's grasp and turning to the right, the suspect turned back to the officer wielding a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun from which he fired two shots. Though the victim officer was wearing protective body armor, she was hit once below the waist and fatally in the right temple area. The suspect, who was known to the police as a drug user/dealer, then fled the scene. The victim officer's body was discovered minutes later by an off-duty federal agent. The discarded weapon was found 300 yards from the scene. A 25-year-old male was arrested on April 17 and charged with Murder, Robbery by Injury/Threat, Possess Certain Bullets, and Possession of a Firearm for Unlawful Purpose. A 35-year-old corporal with the Washington Township Police Department on special assignment with the Gloucester County Critical Incident Team was fatally wounded on October 21 at about 2:05 a.m. following a 4-hour standoff. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on October 20, officers from the Woodbury Police Department responded to a call made by neighbors reporting a domestic disturbance. The responding officers, in turn, requested assistance from the Gloucester County Critical Incident Team when they found the subject had barricaded himself in a bedroom and was possibly armed. After approximately 4 hours of trying to negotiate with the individual, the Team introduced gas into the residence and, after receiving instructions, entered the home. Finding the suspect's bedroom door shut, the Team released gas into the bedroom. The corporal, an 11-year law enforcement veteran, then kicked in the door. As he did, gunshots erupted from within the room. A shot from a 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun struck the victim, who was wearing body armor and using an entry shield, in the front of the head. Other team members extricated the victim corporal, who was transported to an area medical center where he died at approximately 8:10 a.m. on October 21. The 32-year-old suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. New Mexico On March 4 at approximately 3:50 p.m., a 38-year-old deputy with the Sierra County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed while transporting a prisoner to the correctional facility in Grants. The veteran deputy, with nearly 9 years' law enforcement experience, was nearing the end of the journey when her prisoner apparently freed himself from his restraints, reached through the plexiglas window dividing the police car and began choking the deputy. During the struggle, the prisoner managed to gain possession of the deputy's .40-caliber semiautomatic service weapon and allegedly shot her in the leg below her protective vest and fatally in the rear of the head. The vehicle crossed the median of the highway and struck a tractor-trailer. When the patrol vehicle came to a rest, the prisoner purportedly escaped and carjacked a vehicle heading east, taking the driver hostage. He released his hostage after a few miles and was apprehended in Bernalillo County approximately 1 hour later. The deputy was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The alleged shooter, a 20-year-old parolee, was charged with Murder, Assault with Intent to Commit a Violent Felony on a Peace Officer, Escape, Kidnaping with Great Bodily Harm, and Motor Vehicle Theft. North Carolina A 30-year-old lieutenant with the Enfield Police Department was shot and killed on March 15 at approximately 12:15 a.m. during a felony vehicle stop. The incident occurred following an armed robbery in Scotland Neck. The lieutenant and another officer had stopped a vehicle matching the broadcast description of the getaway car. Following the stop, the police officers ordered the driver to step out of the vehicle and walk backward toward them. Then they ordered him down on his knees with his arms raised. The lieutenant, with more than 5 years' law enforcement experience, covered the male with her service weapon as the other officer attempted to handcuff him. The man resisted, and a struggled occurred between the two men. The lieutenant warned the man several times that he was considered armed and dangerous and that she would shoot if he continued to resist arrest. However, the suspect produced a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and shot the lieutenant, who was wearing body armor, in the front of her head. He then broke away from the second officer and fled in the suspect vehicle. A 23-year-old male was arrested later that day and charged with Murder. At approximately 10 a.m. on April 15, a 36-year-old detective with the Warren County Sheriff's Department was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant. For the second time that morning, the detective, with over 3 years' law enforcement experience, and two other officers went to the residence of a man who was a suspect in an incident of assault on a law enforcement officer. Following the first attempt when no one answered the door, the officers were prompted to return to the residence on a tip that the man was home. Arriving at the house, the chief went to the back door, the sergeant covered the left side of the residence, and the detective went to the front porch. As the detective approached the front door, however, a man inside opened fire with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, shooting through the door and striking the victim officer in the face. The detective was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 19-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with First-Degree Murder. A police officer with the Spencer Police Department died on June 3, 1999, of complications resulting from injuries suffered during an incident on October 19, 1997. At approximately 10 o'clock on the night of the shooting, two officers from the Spencer Police Department, including the victim officer with nearly 7 years of law enforcement experience and an assisting officer from the East Spencer Police Department, arrived at a residence to serve a warrant. Upon arrival, the officers were told by a woman that no one else was at home. However, while returning to their cars, the officers saw a man come to the front door and then run back into the house. The officers returned to the residence to search for the man and found a locked bedroom door. One officer was sent to get an entry tool from his car while the two other officers remained inside the house. As the two officers waited inside the house, the suspect came out of a closet and began firing a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun at them. The 31-year-old victim officer, who was wearing body armor, was shot four times. Two shots entered his front torso, one shot deflected off his canister of pepper spray, and one shot was stopped by his body armor. He retreated from the house and collapsed on the front porch. The second officer returned fire from inside the house before being shot in the upper thigh. He managed to exit the house and collapsed in the yard. The suspect also exited the house and began shooting at the third officer who returned four shots, two of which hit the suspect in the leg. The 28-year-old male suspect, who was under the influence of a controlled substance and alcohol, then went back inside. Multiple agencies responded and a lengthy barricade situation ensued, during which the suspect committed suicide prior to the State Bureau of Identifications' Special Response Team making entry. The victim officer survived months of surgeries to correct his injuries before dying of complications during surgery on June 3. He was 32 years old at the time of his death. The other injured officer has returned to work. Oklahoma On July 19 at approximately 5:30 p.m., a reserve deputy with the Delaware County Sheriff's Department was killed while transporting a juvenile prisoner. The 65-year-old deputy, accompanied by his wife, was transporting a male to a juvenile detention facility. Riding in the back seat of the unmarked vehicle, the prisoner allegedly locked an arm around the wife's neck and ordered the deputy to pull over and surrender his weapon. The deputy, who had nearly 12 years of law enforcement experience, pulled to the side of the road. A struggle between the males ensued during which all three people exited the vehicle and the prisoner gained control of the officer's service weapon. The prisoner allegedly shot the deputy twice with the .38-caliber revolver, wounding him fatally in the rear upper torso. Leaving the victim's wife at the scene, the prisoner then fled in the officer's vehicle which he eventually abandoned on a county road. A manhunt resulted in the arrest of a 16-year-old male. The suspect, who was known to the deputy through a prior law enforcement relationship, has been charged as an adult with First-Degree Murder. A 49-year-old state trooper and member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team was fatally shot at approximately 12:30 a.m. on September 24 in a drug-related matter. The victim officer, with nearly 21 years of law enforcement experience, was a passenger in the lead vehicle of an arrest team assigned to serve two felony narcotics arrest warrants. As the two-man tactical team drove up to the suspect's residence located in a rural area near Sallisaw, a man opened fire with a .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle. Both officers were struck multiple times. Despite his protective body armor, the veteran trooper was killed when a round entered his chest through the armhole of his vest. Other members of the tactical team administered first aid, but the veteran officer did not regain consciousness. He was airlifted to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. In an ensuing exchange of gunfire, the 38-year-old male suspect was wounded by troopers and then taken into custody. He has been charged with one count of First-Degree Murder and three counts of Shooting with the Intent to Kill. Pennsylvania A 46-year-old senior patrol officer with the Kane Borough Police Department was shot and killed on February 20 at approximately 4 a.m. after performing a traffic stop. The 24-year veteran officer observed a car tailgating a pick-up truck, activated the lights on his patrol car, and stopped both vehicles. The officer approached the driver's side of the car and admonished the driver for following so closely to the truck. He inquired as to a friendship connection between the drivers of the two vehicles, and the driver of the truck, overhearing, shouted to the officer that he did not know the occupants of the car. Almost simultaneously, the driver of the car allegedly produced a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and shot the victim officer in the front upper torso/chest. As the victim stepped backward and drew his gun, he managed to fire five rounds before falling to the ground. Responding officers found the victim on his back in the street, the alleged shooter slumped behind the wheel of the car with the 9 mm pistol in his lap, and two 17-year-old passengers still seated in the back of the vehicle. The two riders, a male and female, reported to the responding officers that the attack on the victim officer was unprovoked. The 18-year-old driver, who was apparently under the influence of a controlled substance and alcohol at the time of the incident, has recovered from his wounds and has been charged with Criminal Homicide, Firearm Carried without a License, and Reckless Endangerment. South Carolina A 27-year-old deputy sheriff with 3 years of service with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed at approximately 3:50 a.m. on August 13 while responding to a disturbance call. The call brought the deputy and other officers to a local restaurant where they encountered a male with a weapon. After a brief foot pursuit, the deputies were attempting to take this suspect into custody when one of two vehicles that had been observed leaving the restaurant's parking lot passed them, intentionally striking one deputy. The occupants of the vehicle fired a weapon of unknown caliber into the group of deputies. One round from a handgun struck the victim deputy, who was wearing body armor, in the back of his head, fatally wounding him. A third officer was wounded in the left shoulder. A 19-year-old male, who was a known drug dealer, was apprehended the same day and charged with Murder and Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill. Tennessee A detective with the Goodlettsville Police Department was killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call shortly after 1 p.m. on May 22. Dressed in plain clothes, the 14-year veteran of law enforcement reached the disturbance scene in advance of other patrol units. After exiting his vehicle, the 35-year old detective approached the apartment complex identified in the 911 call, and, in so doing, passed between two parked cars. A male seated on the passenger side of one of the vehicles fired a single shot from a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, striking the officer in the front of his head. Following the shooting, the male apparently ran into the apartment to inform a second male of the incident and then came out to his vehicle. The second male then left the apartment, joined the alleged shooter in his vehicle, and they fled the area. The detective was transported to a hospital where he died several hours later. The 21-year-old shooter, who had prior arrests for assault and resisting arrest, was apprehended the same night. He confessed and was charged with two counts of Criminal Homicide. The second male, aged 24, turned himself in later in the evening and was charged with one count of Criminal Homicide. Investigation revealed that the 21-year-old had killed his wife earlier in the day. He stated that he recognized the detective as law enforcement from his badge and holstered firearm and thought the officer was coming to arrest him for the murder. The 24-year-old intended to kill his estranged girlfriend at the time of the detective's intervention. Texas On October 12, two deputies with the Atascosa County Sheriff's Department and one trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety were shot and killed in an ambush in a rural subdivision near Pleasanton. A 31-year-old deputy, who had responded to a domestic violence call at a residence early that morning, responded to a second call from the same residence at approximately 8:30 p.m. The deputy, with 2 years of law enforcement experience, arrived at the home, exited the patrol vehicle, and was shot several times with a 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. A second deputy, a veteran with nearly 9 years of law enforcement service, responded as backup within 2 minutes of the first deputy's arrival. The assisting deputy, also 31 years old, exited his patrol vehicle and was shot several times with the same weapons used in the assault on the first deputy. The man then apparently came out of hiding and shot both victim officers multiple times in the head and took their service weapons. The assailant, who had been arrested that morning by the first victim deputy for domestic violence, returned to the ambush area, and waited for other officers possibly en route to the area. Because the two deputies failed to respond to radio calls, a 37-year-old veteran state trooper, with 12 years of law enforcement experience, was dispatched to the residence. When the trooper arrived at approximately 9 p.m., he notified the dispatcher by radio that two officers were down and began to back his patrol car away from the scene. The suspect, still concealed in a brushy area across the road, opened fire on the trooper, hitting him in the hip and fatally wounding him in the head. The victim trooper was wearing body armor at the time of the attack. A patrolman from the Pleasanton Police Department arrived at the scene minutes after the state trooper and stopped his patrol car near where the trooper's vehicle had rolled to a stop; a retired agent with the U.S. Border Patrol also arrived at the scene. The two men exited their respective vehicles and met to discuss the situation. The suspect opened fire on the two men, wounding both of them. The patrol officer took cover behind his vehicle and returned fire. Civilian passersby assisted the two from the shooting scene in their vehicle, which sustained numerous hits from the suspect's high-velocity rifle as they left the area. One of the civilians suffered a superficial wound to the leg. Other law enforcement officers from several jurisdictions arrived at the scene. A police helicopter equipped with infrared radar supported the operation as did as a fire department tank truck that the officers used for cover. Officers in a helicopter spotted the suspect who had crossed the roadway and entered a weeded area east of his residence. The airborne officers advised the ground officers of the man's location. Members of the ground crew directed gunfire in the suspect's direction while the officers inside the tank truck advanced toward the assailant's position. The officers in the helicopter observed the 21-year-old suspect stand up, appear to fire numerous shots in a circle around his position, then take a pistol from his belt and shoot himself in the head. Subsequent investigation revealed that the suspect prepared for his assault by placing ammunition in the bushy area near his home and then lured officers to the location with a bogus 911 call. A 39-year-old police officer with the Houston Police Department was fatally wounded on May 19 at approximately 9 a.m. during a traffic stop. The officer, who was working undercover with the Auto Theft Division, observed a man suspected of car theft drive past and, upon learning the vehicle he was driving was reported stolen, followed the man to a local motel. After advising his dispatchers, the 20-year veteran of law enforcement pulled his vehicle into the motel lot and parked behind the stolen vehicle. The officer questioned the subject and attempted to arrest and handcuff him. However, the man resisted and a struggle ensued, during which he allegedly pulled out a .40-caliber automatic handgun and fired one shot into the victim officer's chest. The officer took cover behind his vehicle and returned fire as the suspect fled on foot. Two Houston Police Department Bicycle Patrol Officers responded to the gun shots and found the injured officer. After obtaining a description of the shooter from witnesses, the two bicycle patrol officers called for backup and pursued the suspect. The victim officer died en route to a local hospital. The alleged killer, a 23-year-old male, was arrested later that day in a nearby business and was charged with Capital Murder of a Police Officer/Fireman. On October 2 at approximately 5 p.m., a 40-year-old lieutenant with the Kendall County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed while investigating a disturbance call at a local mobile home park in Boerne. The lieutenant, with 12 years of law enforcement experience, and a constable responded to a 911 shots fired call received by the Boerne Police Department. Both officers exited their vehicles, and the lieutenant, taking the lead, approached the door of the mobile home and identified himself. A man opened fire with a 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle, fatally striking the victim officer in the upper torso/chest with multiple rounds. The constable took cover behind a vehicle and radioed for assistance. The shooter then exited the dwelling and crawled underneath an adjacent mobile home. When the assisting officers arrived at the scene, they ordered in both English and Spanish that the man drop his weapon and surrender. Instead of surrendering, however, the assailant began to reload the rifle, and the officers opened fire on him. When the subject was subdued, they removed him from underneath the dwelling and administered first aid. The 30-year-old suspect was transported to a local hospital where he died later that day. Virginia A 32-year-old sergeant with the Winchester Police Department was fatally shot just before midnight on October 29 while working with two parole officers investigating a suspicious person. In trying to locate a parole violator the sergeant, a Special Enforcement Team supervisor, and the parole officers observed a male and exited their marked patrol vehicle to inquire if he knew the violator's whereabouts. The man, however, ran into an alley. Believing that the man was the parole violator, the sergeant with nearly 9 years' law enforcement experience gave foot pursuit and was in radio contact with officers responding to assist and voice contact with a parole officer who was also in pursuit during the one-and-one-half block chase. Turning a corner, the male ran into a dark area between two houses. A back-up officer also in a marked patrol vehicle arrived as the sergeant entered an alley and observed the suspect suddenly stop, turn, and shoot the sergeant in the forehead with a .38-caliber revolver. The victim sergeant, who was wearing body armor, immediately fell down as the suspect fled into the completely dark backyard. A second back-up officer arrived and both back-up officers entered the rear yard to search for the shooter. However, complete darkness and a lack of cover deterred their efforts. The victim sergeant was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at approximately 12:30 a.m. on October 30. A 35-year-old male who was free on bond pending a deportation hearing, was a known drug user and dealer, and had a previous law enforcement relationship with the victim sergeant, was located the next morning and arrested. He was charged with Capital Murder of a Police Officer and the Use of Firearm in Felony. Washington A 31-year-old trooper with the Kennewick Detachment of the Washington State Patrol was mortally wounded after initiating a traffic stop at approximately 9 p.m. on October 7. While on patrol in the city of Pasco, the veteran trooper, with nearly 8 years of law enforcement service, advised via radio that he was conducting a traffic stop and provided the suspect vehicle's information. Shortly thereafter, a citizen used the victim trooper's radio to notify dispatchers that the trooper had been shot and to describe the vehicle in which the suspect had fled the scene. Upon arriving at the scene, responding officers found the fallen trooper. Although he was wearing protective body armor, the victim officer had been struck in the front of his head, arms, hands, and fatally in the neck by shots fired from a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Officers arrested a suspect the following day. The 28-year-old male, who had a prior arrest record, was a known drug dealer, and was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the murder incident, was charged with Aggravated First-Degree Murder. Circumstances Surrounding Death
Table 27
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
State and Agency by Circumstance at Scene of Incident, 1999
Circumstance at scene
of incident
Automobile Motorcycle
Agency by state Total accident accident
Total 65 41 6
ALABAMA 2 2 0
Grove Hill 2 2 0
ARIZONA 2 1 0
Navajo Department of Public
Safety, Kayenta 1 1 0
Phoenix 1 0 0
CALIFORNIA 4 2 1
Immigration and Naturalization
Service, El Cajon 1 1 0
Kings County 1 1 0
Maywood 1 0 1
San Jose 1 0 0
COLORADO 1 0 1
Douglas County 1 0 1
FLORIDA 7 5 2
Bay County 1 0 1
Broward County 1 1 0
Collier County 1 1 0
Jasper 1 1 0
Madison County 1 1 0
Miami-Dade 1 1 0
St. Lucie County 1 0 1
GEORGIA 2 1 0
Cherokee County 1 1 0
Department of Natural
Resources, Manchester 1 0 0
HAWAII 1 0 0
Maui County Police 1 0 0
INDIANA 3 2 0
Johnson County 1 0 0
Lake County 1 1 0
State Police, South Bend 1 1 0
LOUISIANA 6 4 0
Allen Parish 1 0 0
Assumption Parish 1 1 0
Cameron Parish 1 0 0
Gramercy 1 1 0
Jefferson Davis Parish 1 1 0
Killian 1 1 0
MAINE 1 1 0
Somerset County 1 1 0
MASSACHUSETTS 1 0 0
Wareham 1 0 0
MICHIGAN 2 1 0
Flint 1 1 0
State Police, Detroit 1 0 0
MINNESOTA 2 1 0
Department of Natural
Resources, St. Paul 1 0 0
Grand Meadow 1 1 0
MISSISSIPPI 1 1 0
Highway Patrol, Biloxi 1 1 0
MISSOURI 2 1 0
Brookfield 1 1 0
Highway Patrol, Poplar Bluff 1 0 0
NEBRASKA 2 1 0
Gordon 1 1 0
State Patrol, North Platten 1 0 0
NEW JERSEY 2 1 1
Fort Lee 1 0 1
Pennsauken 1 1 0
NEW YORK 1 0 0
New York City 1 0 0
NORTH CAROLINA 3 3 0
Highway Patrol:
Elizabeth City 1 1 0
Greensboro 1 1 0
Rowan County 1 1 0
OKLAHOMA 1 1 0
Kay County 1 1 0
OREGON 1 1 0
Coos County 1 1 0
PENNSYLVANIA 1 0 0
State Police, Bedford 1 0 0
SOUTH CAROLINA 3 2 0
Charleston 1 0 0
Lexington County 1 1 0
Orangeburg County 1 1 0
TENNESSEE 5 5 0
Knox County 1 1 0
Memphis 2 2 0
Murfreesboro 1 1 0
U.S. Secret Service,
Memphis 1 1 0
TEXAS 3 2 0
Cockrell Hill 1 1 0
Federal Bureau of
Investigation, El Paso 1 0 0
Goliad County 1 1 0
VIRGINIA 2 2 0
Chesterfield County Police 1 1 0
State Police, Appomattox 1 1 0
WASHINGTON 2 0 1
Everett 1 0 0
King County 1 0 1
WEST VIRGINIA 1 1 0
State Police, Marlinton 1 1 0
U.S. TERRITORIES 1 0 0
Puerto Rico 1 0 0
Circumstance at scene
of incident
Aircraft Struck by
Agency by state accident vehicle
Total 4 9
ALABAMA 0 0
Grove Hill 0 0
ARIZONA 0 1
Navajo Department of Public
Safety, Kayenta 0 0
Phoenix 0 1
CALIFORNIA 1 0
Immigration and Naturalization
Service, El Cajon 0 0
Kings County 0 0
Maywood 0 0
San Jose 1 0
COLORADO 0 0
Douglas County 0 0
FLORIDA 0 0
Bay County 0 0
Broward County 0 0
Collier County 0 0
Jasper 0 0
Madison County 0 0
Miami-Dade 0 0
St. Lucie County 0 0
GEORGIA 0 0
Cherokee County 0 0
Department of Natural
Resources, Manchester 0 0
HAWAII 0 1
Maui County Police 0 1
INDIANA 0 1
Johnson County 0 1
Lake County 0 0
State Police, South Bend 0 0
LOUISIANA 0 2
Allen Parish 0 1
Assumption Parish 0 0
Cameron Parish 0 1
Gramercy 0 0
Jefferson Davis Parish 0 0
Killian 0 0
MAINE 0 0
Somerset County 0 0
MASSACHUSETTS 0 1
Wareham 0 1
MICHIGAN 0 1
Flint 0 0
State Police, Detroit 0 1
MINNESOTA 1 0
Department of Natural
Resources, St. Paul 1 0
Grand Meadow 0 0
MISSISSIPPI 0 0
Highway Patrol, Biloxi 0 0
MISSOURI 1 0
Brookfield 0 0
Highway Patrol, Poplar Bluff 1 0
NEBRASKA 0 0
Gordon 0 0
State Patrol, North Platten 0 0
NEW JERSEY 0 0
Fort Lee 0 0
Pennsauken 0 0
NEW YORK 0 1
New York City 0 1
NORTH CAROLINA 0 0
Highway Patrol:
Elizabeth City 0 0
Greensboro 0 0
Rowan County 0 0
OKLAHOMA 0 0
Kay County 0 0
OREGON 0 0
Coos County 0 0
PENNSYLVANIA 0 1
State Police, Bedford 0 1
SOUTH CAROLINA 0 0
Charleston 0 0
Lexington County 0 0
Orangeburg County 0 0
TENNESSEE 0 0
Knox County 0 0
Memphis 0 0
Murfreesboro 0 0
U.S. Secret Service,
Memphis 0 0
TEXAS 1 0
Cockrell Hill 0 0
Federal Bureau of
Investigation, El Paso 1 0
Goliad County 0 0
VIRGINIA 0 0
Chesterfield County Police 0 0
State Police, Appomattox 0 0
WASHINGTON 0 0
Everett 0 0
King County 0 0
WEST VIRGINIA 0 0
State Police, Marlinton 0 0
U.S. TERRITORIES 0 0
Puerto Rico 0 0
Circumstance at scene
of incident
Accidental
Agency by state shooting Other
Total 3 2
ALABAMA 0 0
Grove Hill 0 0
ARIZONA 0 0
Navajo Department of Public
Safety, Kayenta 0 0
Phoenix 0 0
CALIFORNIA 0 0
Immigration and Naturalization
Service, El Cajon 0 0
Kings County 0 0
Maywood 0 0
San Jose 0 0
COLORADO 0 0
Douglas County 0 0
FLORIDA 0 0
Bay County 0 0
Broward County 0 0
Collier County 0 0
Jasper 0 0
Madison County 0 0
Miami-Dade 0 0
St. Lucie County 0 0
GEORGIA 0 1
Cherokee County 0 0
Department of Natural
Resources, Manchester 0 (ATV 1
accident)
HAWAII 0 0
Maui County Police 0 0
INDIANA 0 0
Johnson County 0 0
Lake County 0 0
State Police, South Bend 0 0
LOUISIANA 0 0
Allen Parish 0 0
Assumption Parish 0 0
Cameron Parish 0 0
Gramercy 0 0
Jefferson Davis Parish 0 0
Killian 0 0
MAINE 0 0
Somerset County 0 0
MASSACHUSETTS 0 0
Wareham 0 0
MICHIGAN 0 0
Flint 0 0
State Police, Detroit 0 0
MINNESOTA 0 0
Department of Natural
Resources, St. Paul 0 0
Grand Meadow 0 0
MISSISSIPPI 0 0
Highway Patrol, Biloxi 0 0
MISSOURI 0 0
Brookfield 0 0
Highway Patrol, Poplar Bluff 0 0
NEBRASKA 1 0
Gordon 0 0
State Patrol, North Platten 1 0
NEW JERSEY 0 0
Fort Lee 0 0
Pennsauken 0 0
NEW YORK 0 0
New York City 0 0
NORTH CAROLINA 0 0
Highway Patrol:
Elizabeth City 0 0
Greensboro 0 0
Rowan County 0 0
OKLAHOMA 0 0
Kay County 0 0
OREGON 0 0
Coos County 0 0
PENNSYLVANIA 0 0
State Police, Bedford 0 0
SOUTH CAROLINA 1 0
Charleston 1 0
Lexington County 0 0
Orangeburg County 0 0
TENNESSEE 0 0
Knox County 0 0
Memphis 0 0
Murfreesboro 0 0
U.S. Secret Service,
Memphis 0 0
TEXAS 0 0
Cockrell Hill 0 0
Federal Bureau of
Investigation, El Paso 0 0
Goliad County 0 0
VIRGINIA 0 0
Chesterfield County Police 0 0
State Police, Appomattox 0 0
WASHINGTON 0 1
Everett 0 (fall) 1
King County 0 0
WEST VIRGINIA 0 0
State Police, Marlinton 0 0
U.S. TERRITORIES 1 0
Puerto Rico 1 0
Table 28
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
Circumstance at Scene of Incident, 1990-1999
Circumstance at
scene of incident Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 625 67 53 66 59 62
Automobile accident 343 27 24 34 38 32
Motorcycle accident 50 10 6 5 1 8
Aircraft accident 58 7 7 5 9 10
Struck by vehicle
(traffic stops,
roadblocks, etc.) 37 6 5 6 1 3
Struck by vehicle
(directing traffic,
assisting motorists,
etc.) 62 9 3 5 3 4
Accidental shooting
(crossfires, mistaken
identities, firearm
mishaps) 20 4 1 3 2 1
Accidental shooting
(training sessions) 7 1 0 0 3 1
Accidental shooting
(self-inflicted) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other
(falls, drownings,
etc.) 48 3 7 8 2 3
Circumstance at
scene of incident 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 59 51 62 81 65
Automobile accident 33 33 33 48 41
Motorcycle accident 3 4 4 3 6
Aircraft accident 8 0 4 4 4
Struck by vehicle
(traffic stops,
roadblocks, etc.) 1 4 4 4 3
Struck by vehicle
(directing traffic,
assisting motorists,
etc.) 9 3 10 10 6
Accidental shooting
(crossfires, mistaken
identities, firearm
mishaps) 2 1 1 3 2
Accidental shooting
(training sessions) 0 1 0 0 1
Accidental shooting
(self-inflicted) 0 0 0 0 0
Other
(falls, drownings,
etc.) 3 5 6 9 2
Places and Times
Table 29
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
Time of Day, 1990-1999
Time of day Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 625 67 53 66 59 62
A.M.
12:01 - 2 73 11 4 10 8 4
2:01 - 4 54 6 4 3 7 4
4:01 - 6 41 4 4 3 5 5
6:01 - 8 34 3 2 4 2 3
8:01 - 10 37 1 5 2 1 2
10:01 - Noon 47 8 4 4 9 2
P.M.
12:01 - 2 47 5 5 6 6 0
2:01 - 4 52 7 3 3 3 9
4:01 - 6 42 3 1 2 3 4
6:01 - 8 42 3 7 4 3 2
8:01 - 10 51 9 4 11 5 9
10:01 - Midnight 74 6 4 10 5 12
Time not reported 31 1 6 4 2 6
Time of day 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 59 51 62 81 65
A.M.
12:01 - 2 6 6 9 7 8
2:01 - 4 8 3 5 8 6
4:01 - 6 2 5 2 4 7
6:01 - 8 3 3 2 8 4
8:01 - 10 7 6 5 3 5
10:01 - Noon 6 1 3 6 4
P.M.
12:01 - 2 3 5 3 5 9
2:01 - 4 4 3 4 11 5
4:01 - 6 2 5 9 9 4
6:01 - 8 3 3 5 9 3
8:01 - 10 1 3 3 4 2
10:01 - Midnight 10 7 9 5 6
Time not reported 4 1 3 2 2
Table 30
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
Day of Week, 1990-1999
Day of week Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 625 67 53 66 59 62
Sunday 86 9 10 9 6 8
Monday 85 8 4 10 5 8
Tuesday 89 9 5 11 11 9
Wednesday 83 9 8 6 11 7
Thursday 92 11 13 11 5 8
Friday 93 8 8 10 11 10
Saturday 97 13 5 9 10 12
Day of week 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 59 51 62 81 65
Sunday 7 6 8 13 10
Monday 13 8 6 10 13
Tuesday 7 8 8 14 7
Wednesday 10 7 8 14 3
Thursday 4 6 11 10 13
Friday 6 8 10 14 8
Saturday 12 8 11 6 11
Table 31
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
Month, 1990-1999
Month Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 625 67 53 66 59 62
January 53 5 2 6 3 9
February 54 3 2 4 7 4
March 41 2 7 4 3 4
April 46 7 6 3 2 4
May 60 13 4 8 3 3
June 52 3 6 7 4 1
July 65 8 5 4 15 7
August 52 9 7 5 3 8
September 36 2 4 3 1 2
October 64 4 4 11 8 4
November 54 8 4 4 7 10
December 48 3 2 7 3 6
Month 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 59 51 62 81 65
January 5 4 4 9 6
February 7 8 8 8 3
March 3 4 3 6 5
April 4 5 6 6 3
May 7 4 4 5 9
June 8 6 5 7 5
July 9 2 2 7 6
August 6 2 5 3 4
September 3 1 7 9 4
October 2 9 7 8 7
November 3 2 7 5 4
December 2 4 4 8 9
Table 32
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
Region, Division, and State, 1990-1999
Area Total 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Total 625 67 53 66 59 62
NORTHEAST 62 6 9 8 3 5
New England 19 2 4 2 0 1
Connecticut 4 0 2 0 0 0
Maine 4 1 0 0 0 1
Massachusetts 9 1 2 1 0 0
New Hampshire 1 0 0 0 0 0
Rhode Island 0 0 0 0 0 0
Vermont 1 0 0 1 0 0
Middle Atlantic 43 4 5 6 3 4
New Jersey 10 0 0 2 2 0
New York 20 2 2 3 1 3
Pennsylvania 13 2 3 1 0 1
MIDWEST 100 6 6 7 16 14
East North Central 66 4 3 5 9 12
Illinois 12 0 0 2 3 1
Indiana 15 2 1 0 1 2
Michigan 15 1 0 2 1 4
Ohio 14 1 1 1 0 4
Wisconsin 10 0 1 0 4 1
West North Central 34 2 3 2 7 2
Iowa 5 1 0 0 3 0
Kansas 5 0 1 0 1 0
Minnesota 4 0 0 0 1 0
Missouri 17 1 2 2 2 2
Nebraska 3 0 0 0 0 0
North Dakota 0 0 0 0 0 0
South Dakota 0 0 0 0 0 0
SOUTH 313 38 26 40 26 30
South Atlantic 142 13 12 19 14 17
Delaware 4 2 0 0 0 0
District of Columbia 4 0 0 0 0 1
Florida 48 4 6 7 5 3
Georgia 24 4 2 1 3 5
Maryland 11 0 1 2 1 2
North Carolina 19 2 0 2 3 2
South Carolina 18 0 2 6 1 2
Virginia 12 1 1 1 1 1
West Virginia 2 0 0 0 0 1
East South Central 53 7 5 5 4 3
Alabama 23 6 2 3 2 0
Kentucky 5 1 1 0 0 0
Mississippi 8 0 0 0 2 2
Tennessee 17 0 2 2 0 1
West South Central 118 18 9 16 8 10
Arkansas 16 0 2 2 1 0
Louisiana 28 1 3 3 1 2
Oklahoma 11 3 0 1 0 0
Texas 63 14 4 10 6 8
WEST 129 14 11 10 11 13
Mountain 48 9 0 6 4 6
Arizona 21 6 0 2 2 2
Colorado 5 1 0 0 1 0
Idaho 1 0 0 0 0 0
Montana 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nevada 7 0 0 2 0 0
New Mexico 3 1 0 1 0 0
Utah 7 1 0 1 0 2
Wyoming 4 0 0 0 1 2
Pacific 81 5 11 4 7 7
Alaska 3 0 0 1 0 2
California 55 3 7 2 4 5
Hawaii 7 1 2 0 0 0
Oregon 7 0 0 0 2 0
Washington 9 1 2 1 1 0
U.S. TERRITORIES 21 3 1 1 3 0
American Samoa 1 0 0 0 0 0
Guam 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mariana Islands 0 0 0 0 0 0
Puerto Rico 19 3 1 1 3 0
U.S. Virgin Islands 1 0 0 0 0 0
Area 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Total 59 51 62 81 65
NORTHEAST 8 7 7 3 6
New England 5 1 1 1 2
Connecticut 0 0 1 1 0
Maine 0 1 0 0 1
Massachusetts 4 0 0 0 1
New Hampshire 1 0 0 0 0
Rhode Island 0 0 0 0 0
Vermont 0 0 0 0 0
Middle Atlantic 3 6 6 2 4
New Jersey 1 1 2 0 2
New York 1 3 2 2 1
Pennsylvania 1 2 2 0 1
MIDWEST 11 6 14 9 11
East North Central 7 3 10 8 5
Illinois 1 0 5 0 0
Indiana 0 1 2 3 3
Michigan 3 1 1 0 2
Ohio 3 1 1 2 0
Wisconsin 0 0 1 3 0
West North Central 4 3 4 1 6
Iowa 0 0 1 0 0
Kansas 3 0 0 0 0
Minnesota 0 1 0 0 2
Missouri 1 1 3 1 2
Nebraska 0 1 0 0 2
North Dakota 0 0 0 0 0
South Dakota 0 0 0 0 0
SOUTH 31 22 23 41 36
South Atlantic 14 11 6 18 18
Delaware 0 2 0 0 0
District of Columbia 1 1 0 1 0
Florida 6 0 4 6 7
Georgia 0 3 1 3 2
Maryland 1 1 0 3 0
North Carolina 3 1 1 2 3
South Carolina 1 2 0 1 3
Virginia 2 1 0 2 2
West Virginia 0 0 0 0 1
East South Central 6 5 5 5 8
Alabama 4 2 1 1 2
Kentucky 0 1 1 1 0
Mississippi 1 0 1 1 1
Tennessee 1 2 2 2 5
West South Central 11 6 12 18 10
Arkansas 1 0 3 7 0
Louisiana 2 4 2 4 6
Oklahoma 2 0 1 3 1
Texas 6 2 6 4 3
WEST 9 12 16 22 11
Mountain 3 3 5 9 3
Arizona 1 1 0 5 2
Colorado 0 1 1 0 1
Idaho 1 0 0 0 0
Montana 0 0 0 0 0
Nevada 0 1 2 2 0
New Mexico 0 0 1 0 0
Utah 1 0 1 1 0
Wyoming 0 0 0 1 0
Pacific 6 9 11 13 8
Alaska 0 0 0 0 0
California 4 8 7 11 4
Hawaii 2 0 1 0 1
Oregon 0 1 3 0 1
Washington 0 0 0 2 2
U.S. TERRITORIES 0 4 2 6 1
American Samoa 0 0 0 1 0
Guam 0 0 0 0 0
Mariana Islands 0 0 0 0 0
Puerto Rico 0 4 2 4 1
U.S. Virgin Islands 0 0 0 1 0
Figure 4. Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killes
Time of Day
Midnight to 6 a.m. 26.9%
6 a.m. to Noon 18.9%
Noon to 6 p.m. 22.6%
6 p.m. to Midnight 26.7%
Time was not reported for 5 percent of all law enforcement
officers accidentally killed.
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Profiles of Victim Officers
Table 33
Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed
Profile of Victim Officers, 1990-1999
1990- 1995- 1990-
Victim officers 1999 1994 1999 1999
Total 65 307 318 625
Age
Under 25 years of age 5 21 27 48
From 25 through 30 years of age 14 74 85 159
From 31 through 40 years of age 23 112 106 218
Over 40 years of age 21 95 97 192
Age not reported 2 5 3 8
Average years of age 37 36 36 36
Sex
Male 62 295 297 592
Female 3 12 21 33
Race
White 60 278 266 544
Black 3 19 36 55
Asian/Pacific Islander 1 3 8 11
American Indian/Alaskan Native 1 4 6 10
Race not reported 0 3 2 5
Years of service
Less than 1 year of service 6 14 22 36
From 1 through 4 years of service 14 79 86 165
From 5 through 10 years of service 15 94 87 181
Over 10 years of service 27 112 113 225
Years of service not reported 3 8 10 18
Average years of service 10 10 9 10
Average height 5'10" 5'11" 5'10" 5'11"
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