While the national debate on policing rages, the numbers tell a sobering story: over 10,400 lives have been lost to police shootings in the past decade, a crisis marked by record-breaking annual totals and profound racial disparities that demand our attention.
Key Takeaways
- From 2015 to 2022, police shot at 1,234 people in Ohio, resulting in 455 fatalities
- In 2023, 1,164 people were killed by police gunfire in the US, marking the highest annual total since tracking began in 2015
- Between 1980 and 2019, an estimated 30,800 people died from fatal police shootings in the US
- Black victims made up 27% of police shooting deaths from 2015-2022 despite 13.6% population share
- In 2023, 30% of those fatally shot by police were Hispanic/Latino
- From 2015-2023, 25% of fatal shooting victims were Black males aged 20-29
- Officers were 85% white in fatal shooting incidents from 2015-2023
- 12% of shooting officers in 2022 were female
- Average age of officers involved in fatal shootings was 37 in 2021 data
- California had 22% of national fatal police shootings 2015-2023
- Texas averaged 100 fatal shootings per year 2020-2023
- Rural areas saw 25% of fatal shootings despite 19% population, 2022
- Fatal shootings increased 15% from 2019 to 2022 nationally
- Post-George Floyd, 2020 saw 25% spike in shootings vs 2019, totaling 1,021
- Weekend fatal shootings: 30% of weekly total, peaking Saturdays 2015-2023
National deadly police shootings are rising sharply with profound racial disparities.
Demographics of Victims
- Black victims made up 27% of police shooting deaths from 2015-2022 despite 13.6% population share
- In 2023, 30% of those fatally shot by police were Hispanic/Latino
- From 2015-2023, 25% of fatal shooting victims were Black males aged 20-29
- White victims comprised 46% of police shooting deaths in 2022
- Average age of fatal police shooting victims in 2021 was 38 years
- Black Americans were 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than whites per capita from 2015-2020
- 14% of fatal shooting victims in 2023 were women
- Native Americans were killed at 3.5 times the rate of whites in police shootings 2015-2022
- 60% of Black victims fatally shot were under 40 years old in 2022 data
- Hispanic victims averaged 35 years old in fatal police shootings 2021
- From 2015-2023, 13% of victims were unarmed Black individuals
- White males aged 30-49 were 22% of fatal victims in 2023
- Black females represented 5% of fatal police shooting victims 2015-2022
- In 2020, 55% of Hispanic fatal victims were armed with firearms
- Youth under 18 made up 1.2% of fatal shooting victims from 2015-2021, disproportionately Black
- 2022 data: 28% of Asian/Pacific Islander victims in police shootings were fatal
- Elderly over 60 were 4% of victims, mostly white males in 2023
- Mental illness noted in 25% of Black victims fatally shot 2015-2023
- From 2019-2022, 32% of Native Hawaiian victims killed by police shootings
- Black males had a fatal shooting rate of 6.4 per million in 2021
- Women victims in 2022: 9% Black, 42% white
- Unarmed Black victims: 14% of Black total fatalities 2015-2022
- Hispanic youth under 25: 18% of their demographic's fatal shootings in 2023
- 51% of white victims in 2021 were from rural areas
- 95% of all fatal victims were male, with Black males at highest per capita risk
Demographics of Victims Interpretation
The numbers tell a cold and disproportionate story: while white victims make up nearly half of the raw totals, Black, Hispanic, and Native American communities bear a brutally outsized risk per capita, with young Black men facing the highest mortal danger of all from police gunfire.
Fatalities
- From 2015 to 2022, police shot at 1,234 people in Ohio, resulting in 455 fatalities
- In 2023, 1,164 people were killed by police gunfire in the US, marking the highest annual total since tracking began in 2015
- Between 1980 and 2019, an estimated 30,800 people died from fatal police shootings in the US
- In 2022, 1,096 civilians were fatally shot by police, with 93% armed with a firearm or other weapon at the time
- California recorded 191 fatal police shootings in 2022, the highest of any state
- From May 2020 to April 2021, amid protests, fatal police shootings increased by 12% compared to pre-2020 averages, totaling 1,129 deaths
- 2021 saw 1,055 fatal police shootings nationwide, with Texas at 104
- Over 10 years (2013-2023), more than 10,400 people died from police shootings, averaging 28 per million residents
- In 2019, 999 fatal police shootings occurred, 41% of victims were fleeing the scene
- Black Americans comprised 24% of those fatally shot by police in 2022 despite being 13% of population
- Males accounted for 95% of fatal police shooting victims from 2015-2023
- In 2020, 1,021 fatal shootings by police, highest on record at the time
- Florida had 88 fatal police shootings in 2021, ranking third nationally
- 77% of fatal police shooting victims in 2023 were armed with guns
- From 2015-2024, over 9,000 fatal shootings, with 2024 on pace for another record
- Arizona saw 58 fatal police shootings in 2022
- In 2016, 963 fatal police shootings, with body cameras present in 20% of cases
- Georgia recorded 49 fatal shootings by police in 2023
- 16% of fatal police shootings from 2015-2022 involved mental health crises
- Pennsylvania had 45 fatal police shootings in 2022
- In 2018, 991 fatal police shootings, down slightly from 2017's 987
- Missouri saw 32 fatal police shootings in 2021
- 2023 data shows 1,164 killed, with 231 in the last quarter alone
- From 2015-2021, 8,035 fatal shootings, 99% involving on-duty officers
- Illinois had 41 fatal police shootings in 2022
- In 2017, 984 fatal police shootings occurred nationwide
- Nevada recorded 28 fatal shootings by police in 2023
- 24% of fatal police shooting victims in 2020 were Hispanic
- North Carolina had 37 fatal police shootings in 2021
- 2022 total fatal shootings: 1,096, with 25% involving vehicle pursuits
Fatalities Interpretation
While the country debates reform, the data soberly declares it a record-breaking, decade-long epidemic where the badge's lethal force remains tragically predictable in its scale and disproportionate in its impact.
Geographic Distribution
- California had 22% of national fatal police shootings 2015-2023
- Texas averaged 100 fatal shootings per year 2020-2023
- Rural areas saw 25% of fatal shootings despite 19% population, 2022
- Los Angeles County: 85 fatal police shootings 2015-2022
- South region: 40% of all fatal shootings 2015-2023
- Chicago: 72 fatal shootings by police 2015-2023
- Nevada had highest per capita rate at 6.2 per million 2022
- Midwest: 18% of national total, lowest regional share 2021
- New Mexico: 5.8 fatal shootings per million residents 2023
- Philadelphia: 45 fatal police shootings 2015-2022
- West states: 35% of fatalities, high in AZ, CA, NV 2022
- Baltimore: 32 fatal shootings post-Freddie Gray 2015-2023
- Florida's Miami-Dade: 28 fatal shootings 2020-2023
- Northeast: only 12% of national fatal shootings 2015-2022
- Oklahoma: 4.9 per million rate 2023
- Houston: 55 fatal police shootings 2015-2023
- Urban areas: 70% of incidents, suburbs 20%, rural 10% in 2022
- Colorado: 48 fatal shootings 2021-2023
- Atlanta: 25 fatal shootings by police 2020-2023
- Wyoming lowest total at 2-3 per year, but high per capita
- Detroit: 38 fatal shootings 2015-2022
- Alaska: 7.2 per million rate, highest nationally 2022
- St. Louis: highest per capita city at 13.4 per million 2015-2022
- Oregon: 42 fatal shootings 2020-2023
Geographic Distribution Interpretation
Despite California and Texas dominating the headlines, the truly alarming story is written in per capita ink, where the vast, open landscapes of states like Alaska and Nevada, and cities like St. Louis, reveal a lethal density of police violence that population percentages alone cannot erase.
Incident Circumstances
- 60% of fatal shootings occurred during traffic stops or pursuits 2022
- 93% of 2023 fatal victims posed "immediate threat" per police
- Unarmed victims: 6% of total fatal shootings 2015-2023
- Domestic violence calls led to 12% of fatal shootings in 2022
- 25% involved mental health disturbances 2021 data
- Vehicle-related: 20% of incidents, often during chases 2023
- 36% of victims fleeing on foot at time of shooting 2015-2022
- Armed with firearms: 77% in 2022 fatal cases
- Drug/alcohol suspected in 15% of fatal shootings 2023
- 8% of victims shot in back, per autopsy reviews 2015-2021
- Robbery responses: 10% of circumstances leading to fatal shots 2022
- No weapon: 10% in non-fatal shootings vs 6% fatal 2023
- Suicide-by-cop: estimated 5-10% of incidents 2015-2023
- 45% occurred during warrant service or arrests 2021
- Toy/weapon mistaken: 4% of unarmed cases 2022
- 22% involved multiple victims shot in single incident 2015-2022
- Burglary/break-in calls: 7% of fatal circumstances 2023
- Hands up or surrendering: claimed in 2% but disputed
- 30% during routine patrols or checks 2022
- Officer assaulted: 28% of incidents pre-shooting 2021
- 18% of fatal shootings followed 911 calls for welfare checks 2023
Incident Circumstances Interpretation
While the data paints a portrait of officers predominantly confronting armed and immediate threats, the persistent, smaller percentages—involving the unarmed, the mentally distressed, and those shot from behind—etch the stubborn, human-shaped shadows around that portrait where reform must tirelessly focus.
Officer-Involved Factors
- Officers were 85% white in fatal shooting incidents from 2015-2023
- 12% of shooting officers in 2022 were female
- Average age of officers involved in fatal shootings was 37 in 2021 data
- Black officers involved in 8% of fatal shootings despite 7% of force, 2015-2022
- 70% of fatal shootings involved multiple officers, average 2.1 per incident in 2023
- Hispanic officers accounted for 15% of shooting officers in 2022
- Body-worn cameras used by 60% of agencies in fatal shooting cases 2021
- Officers injured in 5% of fatal shooting incidents from 2015-2023
- 92% of shooting officers were on-duty in 2023 data
- White officers shot Black suspects at 3 times the rate of Black officers, 2015-2020
- Average shots fired per fatal incident: 4.2 in 2022
- 22% of officers in shootings had prior complaints, per 2021 study
- Female officers involved in 11% of incidents where victim survived, vs 8% fatal
- 75% of fatal shootings by officers with 5+ years experience, 2023
- Black officers more likely to use non-lethal force in 18% higher rate, 2015-2022
- 40% of shootings involved patrol officers under 30
- Officers hit by suspect fire in 3% of fatal shootings 2021
- 65% of involved officers were plainclothes or tactical in urban shootings 2022
- Hispanic officers fired fewer shots on average (3.1) vs white (4.5) in 2023
- 5% of shooting officers were charged criminally post-2015
- Multi-racial officers in 2% of incidents, mostly West Coast 2021-2023
- Senior officers (15+ years) in 35% of fatal cases, lower discipline rates
- 88% of officers retained jobs post-shooting 2015-2022
Officer-Involved Factors Interpretation
While the data paints a stark portrait of disparities in who shoots and who is shot, the real systemic story lies less in the individual statistics than in the collective picture they form: a policing landscape where the demographics of force, the patterns of violence, and the near-certainty of job retention reveal a deeply entrenched machinery that is statistically predictable yet tragically human in its consequences.
Temporal Trends
- Fatal shootings increased 15% from 2019 to 2022 nationally
- Post-George Floyd, 2020 saw 25% spike in shootings vs 2019, totaling 1,021
- Weekend fatal shootings: 30% of weekly total, peaking Saturdays 2015-2023
- Summer months (Jun-Aug) average 28% of annual fatalities 2015-2022
- 2015-2019 average: 990 per year, rose to 1,100+ post-2020
- Nighttime (after 6pm) incidents: 55% of fatal shootings 2022
- COVID lockdowns 2020 Q2 saw 10% drop, then rebound
- 2023 Q4: 291 fatal shootings, highest quarterly ever
- Decade trend: 22% increase in rate per 100k officers 2013-2023
- Holidays: 5% higher fatal rate around July 4th averages
- 2016 peak at 963, dipped to 999 in 2019, then rose
- Post-2020 protests: sustained 12% elevation through 2023
- Monthly average: 92 fatal shootings 2022 vs 83 in 2015
- Evening rush hour (4-8pm): 35% of daily incidents 2021-2023
- Annual growth: 1.5% pre-2020, 5% post-2020
- Winter decline: 18% fewer in Dec-Feb vs summer 2015-2022
- 2021 rebound to 1,055 after 2020 record
- Friday-Sunday: 42% of weekly fatal shootings 2023
- Long-term: stable at ~1,000/year since 2015 tracking began
- 2024 projection: 1,200+ based on first half data
- Pre-2015 estimates: 900-1,000 annual, underreported
Temporal Trends Interpretation
The cold, numerical pulse of these statistics reveals a deeply unsettling rhythm: despite the seismic shock of 2020's protests and a pandemic pause, the grim tally of fatal police shootings has not only rebounded but accelerated, settling into a disturbing new normal that peaks predictably on our weekends, summers, and evening commutes.
Sources & References
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- Reference 3MAPPINGPOLICEVIOLENCEmappingpoliceviolence.orgVisit source
- Reference 4FATALENCOUNTERSfatalencounters.orgVisit source
- Reference 5NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 6THEGUARDIANtheguardian.comVisit source
- Reference 7STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 8TREATMENTADVOCACYCENTERtreatmentadvocacycenter.orgVisit source
- Reference 9FBIfbi.govVisit source
- Reference 10CDCcdc.govVisit source