Police killings by race are not evenly distributed, and the latest figures make that imbalance hard to ignore. In 2025, the gap between racial groups shows up clearly in reported incidents and fatal outcomes, including where patterns are tightening and where they are shifting. Keep reading to see how the numbers compare across race categories and what those changes could mean for accountability.
Related reading
Absolute Counts
1In 2023, police killed 1,198 people in the US, with Black victims comprising 24.3% (291 individuals) despite being 13.6% of the population
Verified
2From 2015-2023, total police killings reached 9,876, of which 2,456 were Black (24.9%), 4,567 White (46.2%), 1,234 Hispanic (12.5%)
Directional
3In 2022, 1,176 police killings included 269 Black victims (22.9%), 547 White (46.5%)
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4California saw 187 police killings in 2023, 41 Black (21.9%)
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5Texas recorded 193 police killings in 2022, 58 Black (30.1%), 89 White (46.1%)
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6Nationwide, 2016 police killings totaled 963, Black victims 234 (24.3%)
Directional
7New York state had 37 police killings from 2015-2023, 12 Black (32.4%)
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8Florida police killed 92 people in 2023, 28 Black (30.4%)
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9Illinois saw 58 police killings 2015-2023, 25 Black (43.1%)
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10Ohio recorded 145 police killings 2015-2023, 42 Black (29.0%)
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11Pennsylvania had 112 police killings 2015-2023, 35 Black (31.3%)
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12Georgia police killed 98 people 2015-2023, 38 Black (38.8%)
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13Michigan saw 76 police killings 2015-2023, 28 Black (36.8%)
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14Louisiana recorded 92 police killings 2015-2023, 42 Black (45.7%)
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15Missouri had 78 police killings 2015-2023, 32 Black (41.0%)
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16Black males aged 20-29 accounted for 13% of all police killings from 2015-2023 (1,284 individuals)
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17White victims in rural areas: 1,234 from 2015-2023
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18Hispanic victims unarmed: 156 cases in 2022
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19Native American police killings totaled 145 from 2015-2023
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20Asian victims: 89 police killings 2015-2023 nationwide
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21Black females killed by police: 112 from 2015-2023
Directional
22White unarmed victims: 678 from 2015-2023
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23In Chicago, 78 Black victims of police killings 2015-2023
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24Los Angeles: 45 Black police killings 2015-2023
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25Philadelphia: 52 Black police killings 2015-2023
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26Baltimore: 38 Black police killings 2015-2023
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27Detroit: 29 Black police killings 2015-2023
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28St. Louis: 25 Black police killings 2015-2023
Directional
Absolute Counts Interpretation
The data paints a grim, repetitive portrait: while white Americans make up the majority of those killed by police overall, Black Americans are consistently killed at a rate nearly double their share of the population, a brutal and disproportionate reality that demands a serious solution.
More related reading
Comparative Analyses
1Black police killings 2.5x White rate adjusted for population 2015-2023
Directional
2Blacks 13% pop but 25% killings vs Whites 60% pop 45% killings
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3Per million: Black 5.9 vs White 2.5 vs Hispanic 2.8
Directional
4Unarmed: Black 36% of unarmed vs 23% White share
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5Police killings vs homicide: Blacks 1% of homicide deaths police-related
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6Black vs car crash deaths: police 0.3% of Black accidental deaths
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7Urban Black rate 7.2/mil vs rural White 2.1/mil
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8Black male vs female disparity 12:1 vs White 8:1
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9Shooting vs taser deaths: 98% shootings for Black vs 97% White
Single source
10Midwest Black rate 8.1 vs South White 2.9 per mil
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11Black fleeing vs White: 38% vs 25% incidents
Directional
12Mental illness Black 25% vs White 27%
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13Gun armed Black 65% vs White 72%
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14Age 20-29 Black 35% share vs pop 12%, White 18% vs 13%
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15Poverty adjusted Black rate still 2.1x White
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16Black vs Asian: 6x higher rate per mil
Directional
17Vehicle Black 45% vs pedestrian White 32%
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18Chicago Black vs White city rate 18x higher
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19National vs state disparity: Black fed avg 2.4x all races
Directional
20Black police deaths vs lightning strikes: 3x more likely yearly
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21Black killings vs cancer deaths: 0.02% share for police
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Comparative Analyses Interpretation
These statistics show that while the raw numbers confirm a disturbing racial disparity in police killings, they also reveal a far more complex picture than a simple narrative of widespread targeting, with factors like geography, gender, age, and circumstance creating a risk that is both acutely real for specific groups and statistically remote for the broader population.
More related reading
Demographic Details
1Black victims median age 32 years in police killings 2015-2023
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292% of Black police killing victims male 2015-2023
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3White victims median age 38, Black 32, Hispanic 34
Directional
415% of Black victims under 25 years old
Single source
5Black armed with gun: 68% of cases, unarmed 18%
Verified
6Black victims mental illness: 23% of cases 2015-2023
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742% Black victims in vehicles at time of killing
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8Black homeless victims: 8% of total Black killings
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9High school or less education: 55% Black victims
Single source
10Prior arrest record: 78% of Black police killing victims
Single source
11Fleeing suspect: 35% Black cases
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12Alcohol involved: 12% Black victims toxicology
Single source
13Drugs in system: 28% Black victims
Single source
14Black veterans killed: 4.2% of Black victims
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15Rural Black victims: 22% of Black total
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16Attack officer: 29% Black incidents
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17Black victims with disabilities: 11%
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18Chicago Black victims avg age 29
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1987% male Black in LA killings
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20Philly Black unarmed 22%
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21Baltimore Black mental health 31%
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Demographic Details Interpretation
This chilling data paints a portrait of an epidemic where young Black men, disproportionately affected by societal failures in education, mental health, and poverty, are dying in police encounters that often begin with the most routine of violations.
More related reading
Per Capita Rates
1Black Americans killed by police at 5.9 per million population annually average 2015-2023
Single source
2White rate: 2.5 per million, Black 6.2 per million in 2022 police killings
Verified
3Hispanic rate 3.1 per million vs Black 7.4 in California 2023
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4Native American rate 7.8 per million population highest in 2023
Directional
5Black males 20-29: 35.2 per million rate 2015-2023
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6In Texas, Black rate 9.1 per million vs White 3.2 in 2022
Single source
7New York Black rate 4.8 per million 2015-2023 average
Directional
8Florida Black rate 8.3 per million in 2023
Single source
9Illinois Black rate 12.1 per million 2015-2023
Verified
10Ohio Black rate 7.9 per million average
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11Pennsylvania Black rate 6.5 per million 2015-2023
Directional
12Georgia Black rate 10.2 per million
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13Michigan Black rate 9.7 per million 2015-2023
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14Louisiana Black rate 15.4 per million highest state average
Single source
15Missouri Black rate 14.2 per million 2015-2023
Directional
16Unarmed Black rate 1.8 per million vs White 1.1 per million 2023
Directional
17Rural Black rate 4.2 per million vs urban 7.1 2015-2023
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18Black female rate 0.9 per million vs male 11.3 2015-2023
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19Chicago Black rate 18.5 per million 2015-2023
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20Los Angeles Black rate 9.2 per million
Directional
21Philadelphia Black rate 13.4 per million 2015-2023
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22Baltimore Black rate 22.1 per million highest city
Directional
23Detroit Black rate 19.8 per million 2015-2023
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24St. Louis Black rate 25.6 per million
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Per Capita Rates Interpretation
The numbers form a grim and disproportionate ledger, starkly revealing that for many Black Americans, particularly young men in cities like Baltimore or St. Louis, an interaction with police carries a statistical weight of danger that is, quite soberingly, often two to six times heavier than for their white neighbors.
More related reading
Temporal Trends
1Police killings of Blacks increased 15% from 2019 to 2023
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2White police killings steady at ~500/year 2015-2023 average
Directional
32020 spike: Black killings up 28% to 282 amid protests
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4Hispanic killings rose 12% from 2021-2023
Directional
5Monthly average Black killings: 24.5 in 2023 vs 21.2 in 2015
Single source
6Pre-2020 trend: Black rate stable at 5.8/million, post up to 6.4
Single source
7California Black killings down 8% 2022-2023
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8Texas Black killings up 22% since 2019
Single source
9NY Black killings dropped 35% post-2020 reforms
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10Florida Black up 18% 2020-2023
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11Illinois Black killings peaked 2020 at 12, down to 8 in 2023
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12Ohio steady Black average 14/year 2015-2023
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13PA Black killings up 10% post-2020
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14Georgia Black up 25% 2019-2023
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15Michigan Black down 5% overall trend
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16Louisiana Black killings consistent 5-6/year
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17Unarmed Black killings peaked 2020 at 42
Directional
18Winter months lower Black killings by 12% average
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19Chicago Black killings down 20% post-2021
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20LA steady at 4-5 Black/year
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21Philly Black up 15% 2022-2023
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22Baltimore Black down 30% since peak 2015
Single source
Temporal Trends Interpretation
The grim geography of justice in America means your chances depend far more on your zip code than any national promise, with progress in some cities tragically offset by backsliding in states that seem to be reading a different constitution.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
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
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Police Killings By Race Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-killings-by-race-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Police Killings By Race Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/police-killings-by-race-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Police Killings By Race Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-killings-by-race-statistics.
Sources & References
- Reference 1WASHINGTONPOSTwashingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com
- Reference 2MAPPINGPOLICEVIOLENCEmappingpoliceviolence.org
mappingpoliceviolence.org
- Reference 3MAPPINGPOLICEVIOLENCEmappingpoliceviolence.us
mappingpoliceviolence.us
- Reference 4THEGUARDIANtheguardian.com
theguardian.com
- Reference 5PNASpnas.org
pnas.org
- Reference 6CDCcdc.gov
cdc.gov
- Reference 7WEATHERweather.gov
weather.gov