Officer firearm deaths up 18 percent from this time last year

Line-of-duty law enforcement deaths nationwide have decreased by 31 percent in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period last year, but the number of those killed in firearms-related incidents increased, according to a new report.

The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund documented 129 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during the first six months of 2022 in its preliminary data, down from 188 officers who died during the same period in 2021.

The group attributed most of that decline to a reduction in deaths related to COVID-19, which was the leading cause of death for officers in the line of duty in both 2020 and 2021.

“With zero officer fatalities as our ultimate goal, observing comparatively lower numbers in line-of-duty deaths provides us with cautious hope for those who’ve made a commitment to serve and protect our communities,” Marcia Ferranto, the group’s CEO, said in a release.

But the group said the rise in firearms-related deaths is “cause for concern,” noting how it claimed the lives of 33 officers in the first six months of the year. 

Twenty-eight officers were killed in firearms-related incidents in the first half of 2021, marking an 18 percent increase this year so far.

Of the 33 officer firearm deaths this year, the report documented nine as occurring while handling domestic disturbance calls and six while investigating other disturbance calls. The others occurred during a range of scenarios, including during traffic enforcement, robberies and transportation of prisoners.

The number of traffic-related fatalities in the line of duty decreased from 34 to 31 in the first half of 2022, a 9 percent decrease.