As of 2023, US police killings reached 1,164 deaths in one year, and Black people made up 24% of those deaths while comprising 13% of the population. The mismatch becomes even harder to ignore when you zoom out to a decade long pattern, with 9,862 deaths tied to police shootings from 2015 to 2023 and an annual high of 1,127 in 2020. This post pieces together the biggest national and state by state figures alongside the accountability gaps that shape what gets reported and what gets held to account.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, US police killed 1,164 people, with 24% being Black despite comprising 13% of the population
- From 2015 to 2023, police shootings resulted in 9,862 deaths, averaging 1,095 per year
- In 2022, 1,096 people were fatally shot by police, 235 of whom were Black
- Blacks file 50% of complaints despite 13% pop
- 2020 saw 20,000+ police misconduct complaints nationwide
- Only 8.4% of force complaints sustained, per DOJ
- Minneapolis police killed 13 people from 2015-2023
- Nationwide, tasers used in 1,006 incidents leading to death or injury in 2022
- LAPD used force 14,694 times from 2010-2020, injuring 4,500+
- Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than whites
- Black people killed by police at 3 times the rate of whites (2015-2023)
- Hispanics 1.8 times more likely to be killed than whites
- Nationwide settlements for brutality: $3B since 2010
- US cities paid $1.5B in settlements 2017-2021
- Chicago paid $500M in brutality settlements since 2004
In 2023 alone, police killed 1,164 people, and Black Americans were killed at far higher rates.
Related reading
01 · Category
Fatal Encounters30 stats
01
In 2023, US police killed 1,164 people, with 24% being Black despite comprising 13% of the population
02
From 2015 to 2023, police shootings resulted in 9,862 deaths, averaging 1,095 per year
03
In 2022, 1,096 people were fatally shot by police, 235 of whom were Black
04
Police killed 1,127 people in 2020, the highest annual total since tracking began in 2015
05
Between 1980 and 2012, at least 8,000 people were killed by police in the US
06
In 2021, 1,055 police killings occurred, with 241 involving Black victims
07
From Jan to Oct 2023, 925 people killed by police, 215 Black
08
California saw 187 police killings in 2022, highest in the nation
09
Texas recorded 173 fatal police encounters in 2022
10
Florida had 108 police killings in 2022
11
New York police killed 45 people from 2015-2023
12
Ohio saw 96 police killings in 2022
13
Pennsylvania recorded 81 fatal shootings in 2022
14
Illinois had 70 police killings from 2015-2023 average yearly
15
Georgia police killed 89 people in 2022
16
North Carolina saw 77 fatal encounters in 2022
17
Michigan recorded 64 police killings in 2022
18
Arizona had 62 deaths by police in 2022
19
Missouri police killed 55 people in 2022
20
Louisiana saw 51 fatal police actions in 2022
21
Alabama recorded 48 killings in 2022
22
Tennessee had 47 police killings in 2022
23
Nevada saw 41 deaths in 2022
24
Oklahoma recorded 40 police killings in 2022
25
Kentucky had 38 fatal encounters in 2022
26
Indiana saw 37 killings in 2022
27
Wisconsin recorded 36 police deaths in 2022
28
Colorado had 35 killings in 2022
29
South Carolina saw 34 fatal shootings in 2022
30
In 2015, 995 people were killed by police gunfire
Interpretation
Fatal Encounters Interpretation
The statistics suggest that while being killed by police may seem like a random national hobby, the participation rate for Black Americans is consistently and grimly about twice what it should be.
02 · Category
Misconduct Complaints27 stats
01
Blacks file 50% of complaints despite 13% pop
02
2020 saw 20,000+ police misconduct complaints nationwide
03
Only 8.4% of force complaints sustained, per DOJ
04
NYPD received 4,000 brutality complaints yearly pre-2020
05
LAPD: 2,500 misconduct filings 2022, 10% sustained
06
Chicago: 12,000 complaints 2016-2020, 2% discipline
07
Philadelphia: 4,000 complaints yearly, $100M settlements
08
Baltimore: 3,500 complaints 2017-2021, 1% fired
09
Ferguson: 90% complaints Black, 93% no discipline
10
Minneapolis: Pre-George Floyd, 2,600 complaints, 0.02% fired
11
Portland: 500 brutality complaints 2020-2022
12
Seattle: 1,200 complaints 2021, 5% sustained
13
Denver: 800 complaints yearly, $20M payouts
14
Phoenix: 1,000 complaints 2022, 3% discipline
15
Houston: 2,000 complaints annually
16
Detroit: 1,500 complaints 2022
17
Atlanta: 900 complaints yearly
18
Memphis: 700 complaints pre-Nichols
19
Cleveland consent decree: 500 complaints yearly
20
Newark: 400 complaints 2022
21
Cincinnati: 300 sustained complaints decade
22
Las Vegas: 600 complaints 2022
23
Milwaukee: 500 complaints yearly, 4% sustained
24
Oakland: 400 complaints, $30M settlements
25
San Francisco: 1,000 complaints 2022
26
Boston: 700 complaints yearly
27
DC Metro: 800 complaints 2022
Interpretation
Misconduct Complaints Interpretation
The numbers scream a damning national joke without a punchline: a deluge of official complaints, predominantly from Black communities, crashes against a near-impenetrable wall of institutional apathy where consequences are statistically more mythical than measurable.
03 · Category
Non-Fatal Force29 stats
01
Minneapolis police killed 13 people from 2015-2023
02
Nationwide, tasers used in 1,006 incidents leading to death or injury in 2022
03
LAPD used force 14,694 times from 2010-2020, injuring 4,500+
04
NYPD force reports: 57,000 uses of force 2016-2019
05
Chicago police used force 33,000 times 2016-2020
06
In 2020, 400+ deaths from police tasers or restraint
07
Philadelphia police force incidents: 15,000+ annually pre-2020
08
Baltimore used force 10,000 times 2017-2021
09
DC Metro police force reports: 2,500 incidents yearly
10
Houston PD force: 8,000 uses 2016-2020
11
Phoenix police tasered civilians 500+ times yearly
12
Atlanta PD force complaints: 1,200 annually
13
Detroit police used force 4,000 times 2019-2022
14
Seattle SPD force: 3,500 incidents 2020-2022
15
Portland PPB pepper spray/baton use doubled post-2020
16
Memphis police force led to Tyre Nichols death via beating, 29 officers involved
17
Nationwide, 1 in 10 force incidents involve batons or impacts
18
FBI data: 60,000 force complaints yearly, 8% sustained
19
In 2021, 180 deaths from police chokeholds/restraints
20
San Francisco SFPD force: 1,800 uses 2021
21
Denver DPD tasers: 400 deployments 2022
22
Las Vegas LVMPD force injuries: 500+ yearly
23
Milwaukee MPD baton use up 50% post-2020
24
Cleveland CPD force dashboard: 2,200 incidents 2022
25
Newark NJPD pepper spray: 600 uses 2021-2022
26
Cincinnati CPD non-lethal force: 1,500 annually
27
Boston BPD force: 900 reports 2022
28
Oakland OPD tasers led to 20 hospitalizations 2022
29
Aurora CO APD force complaints: 300 yearly
Interpretation
Non-Fatal Force Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of American policing where 'to protect and serve' often reads as a euphemism for a system that routinely defaults to violence as its primary tool of control.
More related reading
04 · Category
Racial Disparities30 stats
01
Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than whites
02
Black people killed by police at 3 times the rate of whites (2015-2023)
03
Hispanics 1.8 times more likely to be killed than whites
04
Native Americans killed at 2.9 times white rate
05
In unarmed killings, 39% Black vs 19% white
06
Black men age 25-29 killed at 31 per million vs 1.8 for white
07
Traffic stops: Blacks stopped 20% more, searched 2x whites
08
Stanford Open Policing: Blacks 2x more likely force used
09
DOJ Ferguson report: Blacks 85% arrests despite 67% population
10
Baltimore DOJ: Blacks 84% force victims, 62% pop
11
Chicago DOJ: Blacks 32% pop, 76% wrongful arrests
12
NYPD stop-question-frisk: 88% Black/Hispanic 2003-2013
13
Blacks 3.73x more likely killed driving away unarmed
14
In mental health crisis calls, Blacks 3x more likely killed
15
LAPD force: Blacks 39% victims, 9% pop
16
Philadelphia: Blacks 75% force victims, 41% pop
17
Milwaukee: Blacks 60% Taser use, 40% pop
18
Oakland: Blacks 70% force, 25% pop
19
Atlanta: Blacks 90% killed by police, 51% pop
20
Memphis: Blacks 70% force complaints, 64% pop but higher rate
21
Detroit: Blacks 90% force victims, 78% pop
22
New Orleans: Blacks 85% killed, 60% pop
23
St. Louis: Blacks 90% force, 46% pop
24
Las Vegas: Hispanics 25% killed, 33% pop but adjusted rates higher
25
Phoenix: Native Americans 9% killed, 2% pop
26
DC: Blacks 80% force, 46% pop
27
Boston: Blacks 60% stops, 25% pop
28
Seattle: Blacks 25% force, 7% pop
29
Portland: Blacks 20% Taser, 6% pop
30
San Francisco: Blacks 50% force, 5% pop
Interpretation
Racial Disparities Interpretation
These statistics suggest that across America, the color of justice seems to depend far too heavily on the color of your skin.
05 · Category
Systemic Issues24 stats
01
Nationwide settlements for brutality: $3B since 2010
02
US cities paid $1.5B in settlements 2017-2021
03
Chicago paid $500M in brutality settlements since 2004
04
NYPD settlements: $300M 2017-2021
05
LA: $1B+ in payouts since 1990s
06
No national use-of-force database until 2023
07
40% police depts lack body cams 2022
08
Union contracts shield 90% officers from firing
09
Qualified immunity denied discipline in 99% cases
10
Military gear to police: $7B since 2006
11
18,000+ police depts, fragmented oversight
12
DOJ consent decrees in 20 cities ongoing
13
Police budgets rose 10% post-Floyd despite reforms
14
80% killings no charges filed
15
Arbitration reinstates 50% fired officers
16
No-knock warrants in 25% killings
17
SWAT raids 80,000/year, mostly non-violent
18
Training hours: 8/week average, below standards
19
Mental health calls: Police respond 25% without training
20
Post-Floyd reforms stalled in 90% states
21
Civilian review boards powerless in 70% cities
22
Use-of-force policies vary, 50% allow chokeholds
23
Federal reporting voluntary, 40% non-compliant
24
Insurance data: High brutality cities pay 2x premiums
Interpretation
Systemic Issues Interpretation
We've built a trillion-dollar industry around policing the symptoms of our own neglect, financing the insurance premiums of brutality while defunding the very accountability that might prevent it.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Police Brutality Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-brutality-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Police Brutality Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/police-brutality-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Police Brutality Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-brutality-statistics.
Sources & references
67 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level