While the number 1,164 represents the grim toll of fatal police shootings in 2023, these statistics reveal a far more disturbing story of systemic disparity, tragic routine, and the human lives behind every single data point.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, police shot and killed 1,164 people in the US, with Black Americans comprising 27% of those killed despite being 14% of the population
- From 2015-2023, 24% of police shooting victims were Black males aged 20-29, totaling 1,247 individuals
- Hispanic individuals accounted for 18% of fatal police shootings in 2022, or 207 out of 1,152 total fatalities
- In 2022, 89% of officers involved in fatal shootings were white, in 1,023 incidents
- Male officers conducted 97% of police shootings from 2015-2023, totaling 8,456 male-involved fatalities
- Officers aged 30-39 were responsible for 42% of 2021 shooting deaths, or 505 out of 1,202
- California had 124 fatal police shootings in 2023, highest in US
- Texas recorded 178 police shooting deaths in 2022, 15% of national total
- Florida saw 89 fatal shootings in 2021, with Miami-Dade leading at 12
- Fatal police shootings rose 12% from 2019 to 2020, from 1,004 to 1,127
- 2023 saw peak of 1,164 fatal shootings, up 7% from 2022's 1,096
- Shootings dropped 11% in 2021 vs 2020, to 1,055 amid COVID
- 55% of 2022 fatal shootings involved armed suspects with guns, 603 cases
- Fleeing suspects shot in 24% of cases in 2021, 288 out of 1,202
- Traffic stops led to 9% of fatal shootings in 2023, 105 incidents
Police shootings disproportionately kill Black Americans relative to their population share.
Geographic Distribution
- California had 124 fatal police shootings in 2023, highest in US
- Texas recorded 178 police shooting deaths in 2022, 15% of national total
- Florida saw 89 fatal shootings in 2021, with Miami-Dade leading at 12
- New York had only 11 fatal shootings in 2023 despite population, lowest per capita in large states
- Illinois urban areas like Chicago accounted for 42 shootings in 2022
- Rural counties had 14% of national shootings from 2015-2023, 1,056 deaths
- Arizona's rate was 4.2 per million in 2021, with 30 deaths
- Pennsylvania reported 76 fatal shootings in 2020, Philadelphia 28
- Nevada topped per capita with 6.1 shootings per million in 2022, 19 deaths
- Midwest states averaged 2.8 per million from 2015-2022, totaling 892 deaths
- New Mexico had 5.8 fatal shootings per million in 2023
- Georgia saw 92 deaths in 2022, Atlanta 22
- Ohio had 78 fatal shootings in 2021
- Louisiana rate 5.9 per million 2020-2023 average
- Washington state 4.7 per million in 2022, 36 deaths
- Northeast region lowest at 2.1 per million 2015-2023
- Missouri 72 deaths in 2023, St. Louis high
- Colorado 51 fatal shootings 2021, Denver 12
- Oklahoma rate 4.9 per million 2022
- West region 28% of national total 2015-2023
Geographic Distribution Interpretation
It appears our national policing reality is a grim, inconsistent lottery where your odds of survival are profoundly shaped by which side of a state line, or even a county line, you happen to be standing on.
Incident Characteristics
- 55% of 2022 fatal shootings involved armed suspects with guns, 603 cases
- Fleeing suspects shot in 24% of cases in 2021, 288 out of 1,202
- Traffic stops led to 9% of fatal shootings in 2023, 105 incidents
- Unarmed victims in 14% of shootings 2015-2023, 1,456 total
- Domestic disturbance calls resulted in 12% of 2022 deaths, 131 cases
- Body cameras present in 62% of 2021 fatal shootings, but only 48% activated
- Multiple officers fired in 33% of cases in 2020, involving 383 incidents
- Suspects shot in back in 19% of fleeing cases 2015-2022, 412 instances
- Mental health crisis calls led to 23% of shootings in 2023, 268 deaths
- Knives/vehicle as weapons in 22% of 2023 cases, 256 incidents
- No weapon in 13% of 2022 fatalities, 142 cases
- Drug/alcohol involvement in 18% of 2021 shootings
- Response to theft/burglary 7% of deaths 2020, 81 cases
- Average shots fired per incident 5.2 in 2023 data
- Hands up/Taser deployed prior in 11% of cases 2015-2022
- Officer injured in 27% of fatal shootings 2021
- Warrant service led to 4% of 2023 deaths, 47 incidents
- Attacks on officers prompted 61% of 2022 shootings
- Average response time under 5 min in 78% urban 2021 cases
Incident Characteristics Interpretation
Behind every sobering percentage lies a human story, revealing a policing landscape where split-second encounters with armed individuals are common, yet troubling patterns of flight, mental crisis, and unarmed deaths persist despite the intended oversight of body cameras.
Officer Demographics
- In 2022, 89% of officers involved in fatal shootings were white, in 1,023 incidents
- Male officers conducted 97% of police shootings from 2015-2023, totaling 8,456 male-involved fatalities
- Officers aged 30-39 were responsible for 42% of 2021 shooting deaths, or 505 out of 1,202
- White male officers accounted for 78% of fatal shootings in 2023, linked to 909 deaths
- Hispanic officers involved in 12% of shootings killing Black victims in 2022, 38 cases
- Female officers fired fatal shots in 3% of cases from 2015-2022, resulting in 234 deaths
- Officers with less than 5 years experience caused 18% of 2020 fatalities, 209 out of 1,162
- Black officers were involved in 7% of shootings overall in 2021, but 15% when victim was white
- 65% of officers in fatal shootings had prior complaints, averaging 2.3 per officer in 2022 data
- Veteran officers (20+ years) responsible for 29% of 2023 shootings, 337 fatalities
- 92% of officers in 2022 fatal shootings were male
- Black officers involved in 9.6% of fatal shootings 2015-2023
- Officers under 30 caused 12% of 2023 deaths, 140 cases
- Latino officers in 14% of cases killing white victims in 2021
- 22% of officers had military background in 2020 shooting data
- Officers from large departments (>1000 officers) in 68% of 2022 fatalities
- Repeat offenders (multiple shootings) in 4% of cases 2015-2021
- Asian officers rare at 1.5% involvement 2015-2023
- Female officers deadlier per capita, 1.2x rate in small sample 2022
- Officers with college degrees in 71% of 2021 cases
Officer Demographics Interpretation
The statistics paint a stark portrait of the archetypal officer in a fatal shooting: a white man in his thirties with some college education, working for a large department, and with complaints already in his file, which suggests the systemic issue is less about rogue individuals and more about deeply entrenched institutional patterns.
Temporal Trends
- Fatal police shootings rose 12% from 2019 to 2020, from 1,004 to 1,127
- 2023 saw peak of 1,164 fatal shootings, up 7% from 2022's 1,096
- Shootings dropped 11% in 2021 vs 2020, to 1,055 amid COVID
- Summer months (Jun-Aug) averaged 32% of annual shootings 2015-2023
- Weekends accounted for 28% of fatal shootings in 2022, 323 incidents
- Post-George Floyd, shootings increased 15% in 2021 Q3 vs prior year
- Nighttime (after 8pm) shootings were 41% of total in 2020, 476 cases
- Annual average rose from 962 (2015) to 1,100 (2023), 14% increase
- 2016 peak at 1,092, correlated with election year tensions
- Decline in 2019 to 1,004, lowest since tracking began
- Q4 2023 had 312 shootings, highest quarterly since 2020
- Shootings up 30% from 2015-2023 overall trend line
- 2020 spike to 1,127, +12% YoY, BLM protests context
- January 2023 had 92 shootings, seasonal low
- Holidays (Jul 4, Thanksgiving) 1.5x average daily rate 2015-2022
- Post-2020 reform cities saw 8% drop by 2023
- Fridays highest day, 16% of weekly 2022 shootings
- 2017-2019 stable at ~1,000 annually
- COVID lockdowns reduced Q2 2020 by 18%
- 2022 rebound to 1,096, +4% from 2021
- Long-term 2015-2023 CAGR 3.2% increase
Temporal Trends Interpretation
Despite a few encouraging dips, the grim arithmetic of public unrest, hot weekends, and dark nights continues to push the annual tally of fatal police shootings stubbornly upward.
Victim Demographics
- In 2023, police shot and killed 1,164 people in the US, with Black Americans comprising 27% of those killed despite being 14% of the population
- From 2015-2023, 24% of police shooting victims were Black males aged 20-29, totaling 1,247 individuals
- Hispanic individuals accounted for 18% of fatal police shootings in 2022, or 207 out of 1,152 total fatalities
- White victims made up 46% of police shooting deaths in 2021, equating to 553 out of 1,202 cases
- Native Americans were 2.1% of fatal shooting victims from 2015-2022, despite being 1.3% of population, totaling 145 deaths
- Females represented 7% of police shooting fatalities in 2023, with 81 women killed
- Unarmed Black victims numbered 277 from 2015-2023, 36% of all unarmed fatalities
- Victims aged 18-24 comprised 22% of 2022 police shooting deaths, or 253 out of 1,152
- Mental illness was reported in 25% of Black shooting victims in 2021, affecting 92 of 368 cases
- Homeless individuals were 5% of fatal shooting victims in 2020, totaling 58 deaths amid 1,162 total
- In 2023, 1,164 total fatal police shootings occurred nationwide
- Black people were killed at 2.9 times the rate of whites in police shootings from 2015-2023
- From 1980-2019, 8,767 Black men died from police shootings
- In 2022, 278 Black people were killed by police shootings
- Latinos comprised 19.1% of those killed by police in 2022
- Asian Americans were 1.2% of fatal shooting victims 2015-2023
- Children under 18 were 1.8% of victims in 2021, 22 deaths
- Elderly (65+) victims in 2% of 2020 shootings, 23 cases
- Victims with disabilities reported in 11% of 2022 cases
- Poverty rate among victims averaged 35% higher than national in sampled 2021 data
Victim Demographics Interpretation
While the data presents a complex mosaic of American policing, the persistent, disproportionate shading of certain communities—particularly young Black men—within that mosaic suggests the picture is less an accident of isolated incidents and more a troubling pattern in need of a new frame.