The FBI Releases Preliminary Statistics for the Publication Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2000

Nationwide, 51 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2000, according to preliminary statistics released today by the FBI. This number is an increase of 9 from the 1999 total of 42.

In 2000, firearms were again the weapon most often used in the slaying of officers with 33 officers slain with handguns, 10 with rifles, and 4 with shotguns. Two officers were slain with their own weapons. Additionally, 3 officers were killed by vehicles, and 1 officer was killed with a knife. Thirty officers were wearing body armor at the time of their deaths.

By region, 32 officers were feloniously killed in the South, 13 in the Midwest,
4 in the West, and 2 in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. No officers were feloniously killed in the Northeast.

Twelve officers lost their lives in arrest situations: 6 were serving arrest warrants, 3 were investigating drug-related situations, 2 were trying to prevent robberies or apprehend robbery suspects, and 1 was attempting to prevent a burglary or apprehend a burglary suspect. Another 13 officers were murdered while enforcing traffic laws, 10 while encountering ambush situations, 8 while answering disturbance calls, 6 while investigating suspicious persons or circumstances, and 2 while handling prisoners.

The 51 officers were slain in 50 separate incidents in 2000. Forty-eight of these incidents were cleared by arrest or exceptional means. Two suspects remain at large.

In addition, preliminary statistics indicate 83 officers were accidentally killed in the performance of their duties in 2000—an increase of 18 compared to the 65 accidental deaths in 1999.

Final statistics and complete details will be released in the Uniform Crime Reporting Program's publication Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2000 expected to be distributed in the fall of this year.