Gun Violence in America

Law Enforcement

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Facts

Police have killed 840 people in the U.S. from January through August 2025. —Mapping Police Violence
Police have killed people in 49 states and the District of Columbia from January through August 2025. —Mapping Police Violence
Black people are 2.8 times more likely to be killed by police than white people in the U.S. —Mapping Police Violence
On average, police fatally shoot three people per day in the United States. —Truthout
A study covering 2016–2022 found an average annual suicide rate of 21.4 per 100,000 officers, with a peak in 2019 of 27.5 per 100,000. —Applied Police Briefings
Law enforcement officer suicide rates are 54 percent higher than for civilians, with firearms behind 29 percent of confirmed suicides and off-duty deaths driving the majority of cases. —Gitnux

According to Everytown, reducing unnecessary police shootings requires several fundamental principles:

A strong legal standard barring unnecessary police use of force.
De-escalation, reducing officer bias, and a priority for positive law enforcement-community relationships through procedural justice.
Intervention tools to identify and support officers at risk of misconduct.
A thorough and independent system for reviewing use-of-force incidents, and ensuring abusive officers can be disciplined and prosecuted.
Transparency about policies, procedures, and the use of force.
Law enforcement suicide prevention resources are available to help agencies strengthen prevention, identify risk, and support officers. —National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention