# Law Enforcement Officers 1996

Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted
1996
U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports
FOREWORD
Wearing a badge is a dangerous profession. Since 1987, nearly 700 law enforcement officers have been slain, another 696 killed in duty-related accidents, and over 600,000 assaulted. The welcome news in 1996 was that totals for officers feloniously and accidentally killed were the lowest in over 20 years; the unfortunate news was that still 100 officers lost their lives and over 46,500 were assaulted. While progress is being made, violence remains a serious threat to those who have sworn to protect society.
For over a quarter of a century, the Uniform Crime Reporting Program has published statistical data concerning homicides, accidental deaths, and assaults committed against law enforcement officers. The information is intended to portray the dangers faced daily by men and women of the law enforcement community so that perhaps more effective countermeasures and safeguards can be developed. Because the loss of even one life is unacceptable, efforts at understanding the past events and applying that understanding toward the prevention of similar tragedies must continue to be a law enforcement priority.
​CONTENTS Page Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Section I—Law Enforcement Officers Killed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
Charts: Time of day, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19
Region, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
Circumstances at scene, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
Tables: State and agency, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Type of weapon by region, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12
Type of weapon, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12
Type and size of firearm, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
Distance between victim officers and offenders, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
Location of fatal wounds, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14
Number wearing body armor, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14
Officers shot in upper torso while wearing body armor, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15
Time of day, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19
Day of week, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
Month, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
Population group by type of assignment, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21
Region, division, and state, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
23
Circumstances at scene of incident by region, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Circumstances at scene of incident, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
Circumstances by type of assignment, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
Circumstances by type of assignment, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
31
Circumstances by weapon, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
32
Profile of victim officers, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35
Profile of persons identified, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
Disposition of persons identified, 1985S1994 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
Accidental deaths by region, division, and state, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
61
Accidental deaths by circumstances at scene of incident, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
63
Summaries of felonious incidents, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41
iii ​Page Section II—Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
65
Tables: Region and division, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
67
Population group, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
67
Region and division by type of weapon, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
68
Population group by type of weapon, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
68
Circumstances at scene of incident by type of weapon, percent distribution, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
69
Type of assignment by circumstances at scene of incident, percent distribution, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
70
Type of weapon and percent receiving personal injury, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
71
Rate per 100 officers, 1987S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
72
Time of day by population group, percent distribution, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
72
Circumstances at scene of incident by population group, percent cleared, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
73
Section III—Assaults on Federal Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
75
Tables:
iv
Victims and known assailants, department and agency, 1995S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
79
Victims killed or injured, department and agency, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
80
Type of weapon and extent of injury, 1992S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
81
Department by type of weapon, 1992S1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
82
Department and agency by type of weapon, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
83
Department and agency by activity, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
84
Disposition of known assailants, department and agency, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
85
Region, division, and state by type of weapon, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
METHODOLOGY
Presented throughout this publication are tables, charts, and narrative comments addressing the number of law enforcement officers killed or assaulted. The unit of count is the victim officer, not the number of incidents or weapons employed. In tabulations pertaining to weapons used, personal weapons are considered to be any part of the body—hands, fists, feet, etc.—which can be employed as a weapon. Because of the differences in data collection and reporting procedures, care must be taken when attempting any comparisons between the information presented on law enforcement officers killed and those assaulted. Further-more, care should also be taken in any direct comparison between data in this publication and those in prior issues of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted because statistics are updated annually.
In Section I are statistics on felonious or accidental deaths of duly sworn federal, state, and local law enforcement officers having full arrest powers. The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program collects these data from several sources. Notification of duty-related deaths is received from state and local law enforcement agencies participating in the UCR Program. They submit preliminary data on any officer killed in the line of duty within their jurisdictions. FBI field divisions and legal attaché offices also report such incidents occurring in the United States and its territories, as well as those in which a United States law enforcement officer dies while assigned to duties in another country. In addition, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, administrator of the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program, maintains contact throughout the year, supplying information regarding officers whose survivors have received benefits. This threefold reporting procedure ensures the validity and completeness of the data.
Once notification of a line-of-duty death is received, inquiries to obtain additional details concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident are directed to the victim officer's employing agency. Information concerning two federal programs which provide benefits to survivors of nonfederal law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty is furnished to the agency.
Pertinent criminal history data concerning the individuals identified in connection with felonious killings are obtained from the FBI's Interstate Identification Index.
Section II contains data pertaining to assaults on sworn city, county, and state law enforcement officers. The information is collected on a monthly basis from UCR Program contributors who compile and submit their data by one of two means: either directly to the FBI or through their state-level UCR Programs.
Law enforcement agencies report figures on assaults resulting in serious injury or instances where a weapon was used which could have caused serious injury or death. Other assaults are recorded only if they involved more than verbal abuse or minor resistance to an arrest.
In all of Section II, the data are based on information from 7,808 law enforcement agencies supplying figures for all 12 months of 1996. These agencies offered services to approximately 166 million inhabitants or 63 percent of the Nation's total population. Tables 25, 27, 32, and 33 are presentations by population groups. The table on page 2 shows the summary of the population coverage and number of agencies represented. Data for the states of Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, South Carolina, Vermont, and the ​District of Columbia were not available for inclusion in the tabulations. Addressed in Section III of this publication are assaults on criminal justice officers employed by five federal government entities -the United States Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Treasury; the U.S. Capitol Police; and the U.S. Postal Service. Within these five federal sectors are 10 agencies, bureaus, or services which employ the majority of the personnel who are responsible for protecting government officials and enforcing and investigating violations of federal laws. On an
Population Group Group I (250,000 and over) Group II (100,000 S 249,999) Group III (50,000 S 99,999) Group IV (25,000 S 49,999) Group V (10,000 S 24,999) Group VI (under 10,000)1 Suburban Counties2 Rural Counties Total 1 Includes universities and colleges to which no population is attributed. 2
Includes state police to which no population is attributed.
2
annual basis, these departments are contacted and requested to submit information on their officers who were assaulted in the line of duty. The tabulations in Section III concerning assaults on federal officers differ somewhat from assaults on the other law enforcement entities addressed in this publication. The circumstance categories are tailored to depict the unique duties performed by federal criminal justice personnel. Regardless of the extent or even the absence of personal injury, all reports of assaults or threats to assault are included in the compilations.
Population Covered
Number of Agencies
37,170,114 15,585,268 16,340,199 16,177,108 18,021,934 14,498,673 31,995,202 16,249,452
50 104 240 469 1,147 4,101 474 1,223
166,037,950
7,808 ​SECTION I Law Enforcement Officers Killed During 1996, 55 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. Officers’ deaths were recorded by law enforcement agencies in 23 states and Puerto Rico. Of the victims, 33 were employed by city police departments, 16 by county police and sheriffs’ offices, and 2 by state agencies. Three deaths were reported by three federal agencies, and Puerto Rico reported the remaining death. The total was 26 percent lower in 1996 than in 1995 when 74 officers were slain. Comparisons for 5- and 10-year periods showed the number of officers slain in 1996 was 13 percent lower than in 1992 and was 26 percent lower than the 1987 total. Victims Of the 55 officers killed in 1996, 53 were males and 2 were females. The average age of officers slain was 35. Two of the victims were under the age of 25; 19 were between the ages of 25 and 30; 22 were ages 31 through 40; and 12 were over 40 years of age. Forty-four of the slain officers were white, 8 were black, 2 were Asian, and 1 was a Native American. The law enforcement officers killed in 1996 averaged 8 years of experience. Thirteen officers had over 10 years of law enforcement service; 18 had 5 to 10 years of service; and 21 had 1 to 4 years. Two officers had less than 1 year of law enforcement experience. Law enforcement experience was not reported for one law enforcement officer. Circumstances Surrounding Deaths During 1996, 22 officers lost their lives during arrest situations. A further breakdown
of these situations showed 8 officers were killed by robbery suspects, 3 by suspects during drugrelated situations, 3 by burglary suspects, and 8 by assailants suspected of other crimes. Twelve officers were slain investigating suspicious persons or circumstances; 11 were killed while enforcing traffic laws; 5 were ambushed; 4 were killed upon responding to disturbance calls; and 1 was killed while dealing with a mentally deranged individual. Types of Assignment Figures for 1987 through 1996 also show that the largest percentage of victim officers were assigned to vehicle patrol when they were slain. Fifty-one percent of the vehicle patrol officers were alone and unassisted at the time of their deaths, and 30 percent of the victim officers on other types of assignments were alone and unassisted. Patrol officers accounted for 41 of the 55 victims in 1996. Of those officers killed while on patrol, 31 were assigned to 1-officer vehicles, 9 to 2-officer vehicles, and 1 was on foot patrol. Seven victims were on detective or special assignment, and 7 were off duty but acting in an official capacity. Alleged Assailants In 1996, 53 of 55 slayings of law enforcement officers have been cleared. Of the 74 suspects identified in connection with the murders, 72 were male, 1 was female, and gender was not reported for 1. Thirty-three of the suspects were black and 31 were white. Fifty-four of the 74 alleged assailants were under the age of 31.
3 ​Forty-three of the suspects identified had previous arrests and 38 had prior convictions. The records showed that 28 suspects had previous arrests for crimes of violence, 25 for weapons violations, and 18 for drug-related offenses. Of the 74 persons identified, 54 have been arrested by law enforcement agencies. Fifteen were justifiably killed (1 by victim officer), 3 committed suicide subsequent to slaying the officers, and 2 are fugitives. No suspects have been identified in connection with 2 slayings. Dispositions of 973 persons identified in connection with officers’ murders during the decade 1985S1994 were reviewed. Of the 973 persons identified, 789 were arrested and charged; 116 were justifiably killed; 1 was murdered in an unrelated incident; 56 commit-ted suicide; and 11 remain fugitives. Ten cases from that timeframe are still pending. Among those persons charged for whom final disposition is known, 72 percent were found guilty of murder; 9 percent were found guilty of a lesser offense related to murder; and 5 percent were found guilty of some crime other than murder. Nine percent of the suspects were acquitted or had charges against them dismissed, and 2 percent were committed to psychiatric institutions. One percent of the persons charged with the officers’ murders died in custody before final disposition was determined. Available data revealed that 113 of the 567 offenders found guilty of murder were sentenced to death, 257 received life imprisonment, and 194 were given prison terms ranging from 3 to 396 years. One was placed on probation, and 2 were given indeterminate sentences. Weapons Firearms claimed the lives of 92 percent of the 696 officers killed in the line of duty from
4
1987 through 1996. Seventy-one percent of the murders were committed by the use of handguns, 15 percent by rifles, 5 percent by shotguns, and 8 percent by other weapons. Seventy-three officers were slain with their own weapons during the 10-year period. In the same timeframe, 164 officers fired their service weapons, and the weapons of 118 officers were stolen. More than half of the officers killed by gunshot wounds during this 10-year period were within 5 feet of their assailants at the time of the attack. Forty-eight percent of the firearm fatalities were caused by wounds to the head, 45 percent by upper torso wounds, and 7 percent by wounds below the waist. During 1996, firearms were used in 51 of the 55 slayings. Handguns were the murder weapons in 44 of the killings, rifles in 6, and shotguns in 1. Four officers were shot with their own service weapons. As in previous years, the most common handgun cartridge types used against officers in 1996 were the .38 caliber, .380 caliber, and 9 millimeter. These three weapons jointly accounted for 48 percent of the handgun deaths. Two officers in 1996 were intentionally struck by vehicles. One officer was stabbed with a knife, and 1 officer was strangled. Body Armor Of 244 officers wearing body armor when slain with firearms during the past 10 years, 155 suffered gunshot wounds to the head; 71 suffered gunshot wounds to the upper torso; and 18 suffered gunshot wounds below the waist. Of 71 officers killed by upper torso wounds, 37 officers were killed when bullets entered between the side panels of the vests or through the arm openings. Nineteen were killed by wounds above the vest area, and 11 ​officers were slain when the bullets penetrated their protective vests. Four officers were killed by the wounds in the back area and/or lower abdominal area not protected by their vest. Thirteen officers wearing body armor were slain by weapons other than firearms. Seven were intentionally struck by vehicles; 2 were stabbed; 2 were beaten; 1 was struck on the head with a bucket of spackling compound; and 1 was struck with a metal flashlight. Places The most populous region, the Southern States, reported 24 of the 55 officers’ fatalities in 1996. The Midwestern States reported 15; the Northeastern States reported 9; and the Western States reported 6 officers slain. Puerto Rico reported 1. A comparison of regional totals for the two periods, 1987-1991 and 1992-1996, shows that the number of officers killed during the latter 5year span increased both in the Northeastern States and the Western States, and decreased both in the Midwestern States and the Southern States.
from 6:01 p.m.S6 a.m. The figures show the 4-hour period from 4:01 a.m.S8 a.m. to be the hours when the fewest officers were slain and the 6-hour period from 8:01 p.m.S2 a.m. to be when the greatest number was recorded. Daily figures for the decade, 1987-1996, show more officers were slain on Fridays than on any other day of the week; the lowest number of fatalities was recorded on Sundays. A review of the monthly totals for the same years shows January and April with the highest figures, 76 and 65, respectively. Accidental Deaths Forty-five officers lost their lives due to accidents occurring while performing their official duties in 1996. Thirty-two officers were killed in automobile, motorcycle, and aircraft accidents; 6 were accidentally struck by vehicles; 2 were accidentally shot; and 5 were killed in other types of accidents such as falls, drownings, etc. Regionally, the Southern States recorded 22 accidental deaths; the Western States, 10; the Northeastern States, 7; and the Midwestern States, 6.
Times In the past 10 years, 62 percent of the incidents resulting in officers’ deaths occurred
5 ​6 ​WEAPONS USED
7 ​8 ​Table 1. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1996 State and Agency Type of Weapon Agency
Total
Handgun
Rifle
Shotgun
Other
55
44
6
1
4
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
(personal 1 weapons)
1
1
0
0
0
Hot Springs
1
1
0
0
0
CALIFORNIA
4
4
0
0
0
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
4
2
1
0
1
1 1 1 1
1 1 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 (vehicle) 1
3
3
0
0
0
1 1 1
1 1 1
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
2
2
0
0
0
1 1
1 1
0 0
0 0
0 0
Total ALABAMA Mobile County Court ALASKA Anchorage ARIZONA Navajo Department of Law Enforcement, Navajo Reservation ARKANSAS
Highway Patrol, Orange County Los Angeles Pomona Ventura County FLORIDA Brevard County Fort Lauderdale Holmes County Orange County GEORGIA Forest Park Gilmer County Ocilla ILLINOIS Chicago Kankakee
9 ​Table 1. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1996 State and Agency — Continued Type of Weapon Agency
Total
Handgun
Rifle
Shotgun
Other
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
4
4
0
0
0
1 2 1
1 2 1
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
1
1
0
0
0
Detroit
1
1
0
0
0
MINNESOTA
2
1
0
0
1
1 1
0 1
0 0
0 0
(vehicle) 1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
5
3
1
0
1
1 1 3
0 0 3
1 0 0
0 0 0
(knife) 1
2
1
1
0
0
1 1
1 0
0 1
0 0
0 0
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
5
4
1
0
0
1 1
1 0
0 1
0 0
0 0
KANSAS Sedgwick County LOUISIANA Jefferson Parish New Orleans St. John the Baptist Parish MICHIGAN
Rice County St. Joseph MISSOURI Barry County NEW YORK Eastchester Ithaca New York NORTH CAROLINA Jonesville Oakboro NORTH DAKOTA Watford OHIO Canton Cleveland
10
0
0 0 ​Table 1. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1996 State and Agency — Continued Type of Weapon Agency
Total
Handgun
Rifle
Shotgun
Other
1 1 1
1 1 1
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
OKLAHOMA
1
0
0
1
0
Tulsa
1
0
0
1
0
4
4
0
0
0
1 3
1 3
0 0
0 0
0 0
SOUTH CAROLINA
2
2
0
0
0
Greenville Sumter County
1 1
1 1
0 0
0 0
0 0
2
2
0
0
0
1 1
1 1
0 0
0 0
0 0
4
4
0
0
0
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
2
1
1
0
0
1 1
0 1
1 0
0 0
0 0
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
OHIO (Continued) Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Dayton Highway Patrol, Ashland County
PENNSYLVANIA Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Philadelphia
TENNESSEE Nashville Metropolitan Police Shelby County TEXAS Giddings Harris County Nacogdoches County United States Border Patrol, Eagle Pass WISCONSIN Bayfield County Milwaukee U.S. TERRITORIES Puerto Rico
11 ​Table 2. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Type of Weapon by Region South
West
U.S. Territories/ Foreign
129
297
131
51
66 7 3
82 28 7
212 39 21
89 26 7
47 3 0
637
76
117
272
122
50
12 10 5 32
5 1 1 5
0 0 1 11
5 9 1 10
1 0 2 6
1 0 0 0
Type of Weapon
Total
Northeast
Total
696
88
Handgun Rifle Shotgun
496 103 38
Total Firearms Knife Bomb Personal Weapons Other
Midwest
Table 3. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Type of Weapon Year
Total
Handgun
Rifle
Shotgun
Total Firearms
Knife
Bomb
Personal Weapons
Other
Total
696
496
103
38
637
12
10
5
32
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
74 78 66 66 71
49 63 40 48 50
9 11 10 8 14
9 2 7 1 4
67 76 57 57 68
3 0 2 3 0
0 0 0 0 1
0 0 1 2 0
4 2 6 4 2
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
63 70 79 74 55
43 50 66 43 44
9 14 8 14 6
2 3 4 5 1
54 67 78 62 51
1 0 0 2 1
1 0 0 8 0
1 0 0 0 1
6 3 1 2 2
12 ​Table 4. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1996 Type and Size of Firearm Total Slain With Firearms
Firearms Used
Slain With Own Weapon
Slain Wearing Body Armor
Total
51
4
30
Handgun Total
44
4
28
4 3 1 4 5 6 2 1 3 10 1 4
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
1 2 1 3 3 4 1 1 3 5 1 3
6
0
2
2 1 1 2
0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1
1
0
0
1
0
0
.22 Caliber .25 Caliber .32 Caliber .357 Magnum .38 Caliber .380 Caliber .40 Caliber .44 Magnum .45 Caliber 9 Millimeter 9x18 Millimeter Caliber Not Reported Rifle Total .223 Caliber .30 Caliber .30S06 Caliber .30S30 Caliber Shotgun Total 20 Gauge
Table 5. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms, 1987S S 1996 Distance Between Victim Officers and Offenders Feet
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Total
637
67
76
57
57
68
54
67
78
62
51
0S 5 6 S 10 11 S 20 21 S 50 Over 50
340 135 71 54 37
34 14 6 8 5
47 10 12 5 2
33 11 5 6 2
31 14 4 4 4
34 9 13 6 6
27 14 6 4 3
33 14 7 7 6
43 21 7 4 3
28 16 6 7 5
30 12 5 3 1
13 ​Table 6. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms, 1987S S 1996 Location of Fatal Wounds Point of Entry
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995 1996
Total
637
67
76
57
57
68
54
67
78
62
51
Front Head Rear Head
222 85
27 4
32 5
16 11
25 6
26 10
14 11
28 6
22 12
18 10
14 10
Front Upper Torso Rear Upper Torso
237 48
29 3
30 6
18 6
19 4
23 5
17 8
21 4
35 4
23 5
22 3
Front Below Waist Rear Below Waist
35 10
3 1
2 1
3 3
3 0
3 1
4 0
6 2
4 1
5 1
2 0
Table 7. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed by Firearms, 1987S S 1996 Number Wearing Body Armor Point of Entry
Total
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Total Slain with Firearms While Wearing Body Armor
637 244
67 16
76 20
57 18
57 15
68 24
54 17
67 37
78 35
62 32
51 30
Total Head Wounds While Wearing Body Armor
307 155
31 13
37 15
27 9
31 11
36 13
25 11
34 22
34 22
28 20
24 19
Total Upper Torso Wounds While Wearing Body Armor
285 71
32 3
36 3
24 6
23 2
28 9
25 5
25 11
39 11
28 10
25 11
Total Lower Torso Wounds While Wearing Body Armor
45 18
4 0
3 2
6 3
3 2
4 2
4 1
8 4
5 2
6 2
2 0
14 ​Table 8. — Location of Fatal Firearm Wounds, 1987S S 1996 Officers Shot in Upper Torso While Wearing Body Armor Point of Entry
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Total
71
3
3
6
2
9
5
11
11
10
11
Entered Between Side Panels of Vest
22
0
2
3
0
3
1
3
4
2
4
Entered Through Armhole or Shoulder Area of Vest
15
1
0
3
0
1
1
2
2
3
2
19
2
1
0
2
2
1
2
4
2
3
4
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
1
11
0
0
0
0
2
2
3
1
2
1
4 2 1 2 2
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0
1 1 0 0 0
2 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 2
0 0 0 1 0
Entered Above Vest (front or back of neck, collarbone area, etc.) Entered Below Vest (abdominal or lower back area) Penetrated Vest (by weapon type and caliber) Rifle .223 Caliber .30 Caliber .30S06 Caliber .30S30 Caliber 7.62x39 Millimeter
15 ​16 ​PLACES AND TIMES
17 ​18 ​Table 9. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Time of Day Time of Day Total
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
696
74
78
66
66
71
63
70
79
74
55
96 71 26 23 48 39
5 8 2 5 5 2
10 9 2 1 5 7
12 10 1 2 2 4
10 4 1 2 1 3
13 12 5 0 2 3
7 6 0 4 7 4
14 4 2 0 6 3
9 8 7 3 5 8
9 5 6 3 11 2
7 5 0 3 4 3
41 45 66 54 91 96
3 5 11 10 13 5
4 5 10 8 9 8
3 4 9 3 6 10
5 4 5 7 11 13
6 3 7 4 8 8
5 2 4 3 10 11
5 4 3 4 8 17
3 8 6 9 7 6
2 7 4 2 11 12
5 3 7 4 8 6
A.M. 12:01 S 2 2:01 S 4 4:01 S 6 6:01 S 8 8:01 S 10 10:01 S Noon P.M. 12:01 S 2 2:01 S 4 4:01 S 6 6:01 S 8 8:01 S 10 10:01 S Midnight
19 ​Table 10. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Day of Week Day of Week
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
696
74
78
66
66
71
63
70
79
74
55
Sunday
75
7
6
5
9
16
4
10
8
7
3
Monday
104
10
14
12
10
11
11
7
11
11
7
Tuesday
103
7
14
13
12
9
5
8
18
12
5
Wednesday
104
10
9
9
7
11
11
14
10
17
6
97
15
8
7
13
7
7
13
7
10
10
118
12
18
11
7
7
14
10
18
9
12
95
13
9
9
8
10
11
8
7
8
12
Total
Thursday Friday Saturday
Table 11. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Month Month
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
696
74
78
66
66
71
63
70
79
74
55
January February March
76 62 60
12 6 6
7 8 5
10 7 10
7 4 8
12 6 5
4 4 5
3 12 6
6 9 4
4 3 5
11 3 6
April May June
65 46 58
6 3 4
1 2 10
4 4 5
6 6 12
12 3 6
6 6 3
4 4 6
5 5 8
20 7 2
1 6 2
July August September
48 55 60
9 3 9
8 6 6
2 7 3
3 4 6
3 4 6
4 6 8
6 6 0
2 8 10
5 9 6
6 2 6
October November December
59 53 54
5 5 6
9 11 5
6 4 4
4 3 3
3 5 6
4 7 6
10 4 9
5 9 8
7 3 3
6 2 4
Total
20 ​Table 12. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1996 Population Group by Type of Assignment Type of Assignment
Population Group of Victim Officer’s Agency
Total
1-Officer 2-Officer Vehicle Vehicle Alone Assisted
Foot Patrol Alone Assisted
Detective/ Special Assignment Alone Assisted
Off Duty
Total
55
9
21
10
0
1
1
6
7
Group I (cities 250,000 and over)
16
6
1
3
0
0
0
2
4
Group II (cities 100,000 - 249,999)
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Group III (cities 50,000 - 99,999)
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Group IV (cities 25,000 - 49,999)
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
Group V (cities 10,000 - 24,999)
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
Group VI (cities under 10,000)
6
0
4
1
0
0
0
1
0
10 6 3 2 1
0 0 0 0 1
5 3 1 2 0
3 2 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0 0
1 1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0
Suburban Counties Rural Counties Federal Agencies State Agencies U.S. Territories
21 ​LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED, 1996 BY REGION (MAP CHART)
22 ​Table 13. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Region, Division, and State Area
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Total
696
74
78
66
66
71
63
70
79
74
55
88
12
7
9
7
7
8
9
12
8
9
17
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
6
1
0
3 2 10 1 1 0
1 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
1 0 1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 4 1 1 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
71
10
5
8
6
5
7
8
6
7
9
New Jersey New York Pennsylvania
7 42 22
1 9 0
0 4 1
0 7 1
0 2 4
0 3 2
0 4 3
1 3 4
2 3 1
3 2 2
0 5 4
MIDWEST
129
17
12
8
14
20
8
11
16
8
15
88
13
10
4
10
12
5
8
11
5
10
24 11 24 17 12
3 2 4 4 0
3 3 4 0 0
2 0 1 1 0
3 0 3 1 3
2 1 6 1 2
5 0 0 0 0
1 4 1 2 0
1 1 3 2 4
2 0 1 1 1
2 0 1 5 2
41
4
2
4
4
8
3
3
5
3
5
0 6 11 18 4 2 0
0 0 0 3 1 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 2 0 0 0
0 0 1 2 1 0 0
0 1 2 5 0 0 0
0 0 1 2 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 1 1 0
0 0 2 3 0 0 0
0 2 0 0 1 0 0
0 1 2 1 0 1 0
297
28
38
32
31
29
28
31
24
32
24
South Atlantic
133
15
13
14
16
12
14
14
14
10
11
Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Maryland North Carolina South Carolina Virginia West Virginia
0 8 40 26 8 19 16 13 3
0 1 8 3 0 1 1 1 0
0 0 8 2 0 0 1 2 0
0 0 3 4 1 0 1 3 2
0 0 7 2 2 1 3 1 0
0 0 2 4 0 4 2 0 0
0 0 3 2 2 3 4 0 0
0 2 3 1 1 4 1 1 1
0 3 0 3 0 2 1 5 0
0 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0
0 0 4 3 0 2 2 0 0
NORTHEAST New England Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont Middle Atlantic
East North Central Illinois Indiana Michigan Ohio Wisconsin West North Central Iowa Kansas Minnesota Missouri Nebraska North Dakota South Dakota SOUTH
23 ​Table 13. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Region, Division, and State — Continued Area East South Central
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
58
5
7
6
9
5
7
3
7
6
3
11 12 20 15
3 1 1 0
0 2 3 2
0 1 5 0
0 2 3 4
0 1 1 3
1 4 2 0
1 1 1 0
3 0 3 1
2 0 1 3
1 0 0 2
106
8
18
12
6
12
7
14
3
16
10
9 22 12 63
0 1 0 7
2 3 1 12
0 4 0 8
0 2 1 3
2 0 0 10
1 3 0 3
0 2 1 11
0 0 0 3
3 3 8 2
1 4 1 4
131
16
19
9
9
7
13
11
18
23
6
54
7
10
3
3
4
4
3
8
11
1
20 12 3 4 5 6 3 1
3 3 0 0 0 1 0 0
5 2 0 0 1 1 1 0
1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
1 2 1 1 0 2 1 0
5 3 0 0 2 0 0 1
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pacific
77
9
9
6
6
3
9
8
10
12
5
Alaska California Hawaii Oregon Washington
3 64 3 2 5
0 5 2 0 2
0 9 0 0 0
1 5 0 0 0
0 5 1 0 0
0 3 0 0 0
1 6 0 2 0
0 8 0 0 0
0 8 0 0 2
0 11 0 0 1
1 4 0 0 0
U.S. TERRITORIES
51
1
2
8
5
8
6
8
9
3
1
American Samoa Guam Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands
1 0 1 48 1
0 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 8 0
0 0 0 5 0
0 0 0 7 1
0 0 0 6 0
0 0 0 8 0
0 0 0 9 0
0 0 1 2 0
0 0 0 1 0
Alabama Kentucky Mississippi Tennessee West South Central Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma Texas WEST Mountain Arizona Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah Wyoming
24 ​CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING DEATHS
25 ​26 ​Table 14. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Circumstances at Scene of Incident by Region Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
U.S. Territories
Total
696
88
129
297
131
51
Disturbance Calls
111
11
27
44
25
4
Bar Fights, Man with Gun, etc.
46
7
10
17
8
4
Family Quarrels
65
4
17
27
17
0
258
38
46
106
48
20
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects
30
4
10
10
6
0
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects
87
17
14
29
13
14
Drug-related Matters
48
7
3
23
14
1
Attempting Other Arrests
93
10
19
44
15
5
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners
30
4
8
9
6
3
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances
123
19
23
50
24
7
72
6
9
36
8
13
Entrapment/Premeditation
31
2
3
14
6
6
Unprovoked Attack
41
4
6
22
2
7
Mentally Deranged
12
2
1
4
4
1
Traffic Pursuits/Stops
90
8
15
48
16
3
Arrest Situations
Ambush Situations
27 ​LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASSAULTED AND KILLED, CIRCUMSTANCES AT SCENE, 1987-1996
28 ​Table 15. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Circumstances at Scene of Incident Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Total
696
74
78
66
66
71
63
70
79
74
55
Disturbance Calls
111
23
7
13
10
17
11
10
8
8
4
Bar Fights, Man with Gun, etc.
46
10
4
5
5
8
2
5
4
2
1
Family Quarrels
65
13
3
8
5
9
9
5
4
6
3
258
27
33
24
30
14
26
28
33
21
22
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects
30
6
3
0
1
3
5
1
4
4
3
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects
87
4
7
8
13
4
10
9
17
7
8
Drug-related Matters
48
4
12
7
5
3
3
3
4
4
3
Attempting Other Arrests
93
13
11
9
11
4
8
15
8
6
8
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners
30
6
2
6
2
6
2
1
1
4
0
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances
123
5
23
10
9
10
7
15
15
17
12
72
4
6
4
8
11
7
5
8
14
5
Entrapment/Premeditation
31
3
2
2
2
5
5
3
1
6
2
Unprovoked Attack
41
1
4
2
6
6
2
2
7
8
3
Mentally Deranged
12
1
1
2
1
0
0
1
4
1
1
Traffic Pursuits/Stops
90
8
6
7
6
13
10
10
10
9
11
Arrest Situations
Ambush Situations
29 ​Table 16. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Circumstances by Type of Assignment Type of Assignment
Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
1-Officer 2-Officer Vehicle Vehicle Alone Assisted
Foot Patrol Alone Assisted
Detective/ Special Assignment Alone Assisted
Off Duty
Total
696
84
216
124
4
6
45
107
110
Disturbance Calls
111
22
35
38
0
0
0
6
10
Bar Fights, Man with Gun, etc.
46
9
8
17
0
0
0
5
7
Family Quarrels
65
13
27
21
0
0
0
1
3
258
23
44
48
1
4
13
67
58
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects
30
5
13
3
0
0
1
3
5
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects
87
6
12
14
0
1
3
5
46
Drug-related Matters
48
4
2
4
0
1
6
31
0
Attempting Other Arrests
93
8
17
27
1
2
3
28
7
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners
30
4
7
2
0
0
8
9
0
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances
123
19
50
19
2
2
6
10
15
72
5
13
4
1
0
17
10
22
Entrapment/Premeditation
31
2
6
4
1
0
5
1
12
Unprovoked Attack
41
3
7
0
0
0
12
9
10
Mentally Deranged
12
1
4
3
0
0
0
4
0
Traffic Pursuits/Stops
90
10
63
10
0
0
1
1
5
Arrest Situations
Ambush Situations
30 ​Table 17. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1996 Circumstances by Type of Assignment Type of Assignment
Circumstances at Scene of Incident Total
Total
1-Officer 2-Officer Vehicle Vehicle Alone Assisted
Foot Patrol Alone Assisted
Detective/ Special Assignment Alone Assisted
Off Duty
55
9
21
10
0
1
1
6
7
4
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
Bar Fights, Man with Gun, etc.
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Family Quarrels
3
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
22
3
6
6
0
1
1
3
2
3
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
1
2
3
0
0
0
0
2
Drug-related Matters
3
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
Attempting Other Arrests
8
1
2
3
0
0
0
2
0
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances
12
4
6
1
0
0
0
0
1
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
Entrapment/Premeditation
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Unprovoked Attack
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
Mentally Deranged
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
11
2
7
1
0
0
0
1
0
Disturbance Calls
Arrest Situations Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects
Ambush Situations
Traffic Pursuits/Stops
31 ​Table 18. — Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed, 1987S S 1996 Circumstances by Weapon Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Shotgun
Total Firearms
Knife
Bomb
103
38
637
12
10
5
32
54
31
14
99
3
0
2
7
46
17
20
4
41
2
0
2
1
65
37
11
10
58
1
0
0
6
258
200
37
11
248
3
0
2
5
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects
30
24
2
2
28
0
0
1
1
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects
87
77
4
2
83
1
0
1
2
Drug-related Matters
48
42
6
0
48
0
0
0
0
Attempting Other Arrests
93
57
25
7
89
2
0
0
2
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners
30
28
0
1
29
0
0
1
0
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances
123
95
13
3
111
4
1
0
7
72
45
12
5
62
1
8
0
1
Entrapment/Premeditation
31
17
7
4
28
0
2
0
1
Unprovoked Attack
41
28
5
1
34
1
6
0
0
Mentally Deranged
12
9
1
1
11
1
0
0
0
Traffic Pursuits/Stops
90
65
9
3
77
0
1
0
12
Total
Handgun
Total
696
496
Disturbance Calls
111
Bar Fights, Man with Gun, etc. Family Quarrels
Arrest Situations
Ambush Situations
32
Rifle
Personal Weapons Other ​PROFILES OF VICTIM OFFICERS AND ASSAILANTS
33 ​34 ​Table 19. — Profile of Victim Officers, 1987S S 1996 1987S S 1991
1992S S 1996
1987S S 1996
55
355
341
696
2
31
24
55
From 25 through 30 Years of Age
19
73
98
171
From 31 through 40 Years of Age
22
135
116
251
Over 40 Years of Age
12
116
100
216
0
0
3
3
35
37
36
36
53
347
331
678
2
8
10
18
White
44
312
284
596
Black
8
42
49
91
Asian/Pacific Islander
2
1
6
7
American Indian/Alaskan Native
1
0
2
2
2
17
25
42
From 1 through 4 Years of Service
21
97
91
188
From 5 through 10 Years of Service
18
96
97
193
Over 10 Years of Service
13
144
122
266
Years of Service Not Reported
1
1
6
7
Average Years of Service
8
10
10
10
5'10"
5'10"
5'11"
5'11"
In Uniform
43
248
237
485
Wearing Protective Body Armor
31
99
158
257
Victim Officers Total
1996
Age: Under 25 Years of Age
Age Not Reported Average Years of Age Sex: Male Female Race:
Years of Service: Less than 1 Year of Service
Average Height
35 ​Table 20. — Profile of Persons Identified in the Felonious Killing of Law Enforcement Officers, 1987S S 1996 1987S S 1991
1992S S 1996
1987S S 1996
74
495
463
958
5
44
67
111
From 18 through 24 Years of Age
29
170
158
328
From 25 through 30 Years of Age
20
97
86
183
From 31 through 40 Years of Age
6
102
62
164
10
64
54
118
4
18
36
54
28
28
27
28
72
467
423
890
Female
1
18
15
33
Sex Not Reported
1
10
25
35
White
31
271
219
490
Black
33
197
200
397
Asian/Pacific Islander
3
8
7
15
American Indian/Alaskan Native
2
5
6
11
Race Not Reported
5
14
31
45
Prior Criminal Arrest
43
348
273
621
Convicted on Prior Criminal Charge
38
268
231
499
Prior Arrest for Crime of Violence
28
181
170
351
On Parole or Probation at Time of Killing
18
113
78
191
1
22
12
34
Prior Arrest for Drug Law Violation
18
125
120
245
Prior Arrest for Assaulting an Officer or Resisting Arrest
11
52
80
132
Prior Arrest for Weapons Violation
25
176
148
324
Persons Identified Total
1996
Age: Under 18 Years of Age
Over 40 Years of Age Age Not Reported Average Years of Age Sex: Male
Race:
Conviction Data:
Prior Arrest for Murder
36 ​Table 21. — Disposition of Persons Identified in the Felonious Killing of Law Enforcement Officers, 1985S S 1994 1985S S 1989
1990S S 1994
4991
474
9731
1
10
11
Justifiably Killed
61
55
116
Committed Suicide
25
31
56
411
378
789
411
378
789
290
277
567
Guilty of Lesser Offense Related to Murder
38
34
72
Guilty of Crime Other Than Murder
24
19
43
Acquitted or Otherwise Dismissed
49
19
68
Committed to Mental Institution
5
10
15
Case Pending or Disposition Unknown
0
10
10
Died in Custody
5
6
11
Probation
0
1
1
Indeterminate
0
2
2
Persons Identified Known Persons Fugitives
Arrested and Charged Arrested and Charged Guilty of Murder
1985S S 1994
1
One offender was murdered while at large in 1989.
37 ​38 ​SUMMARIES OF INCIDENTS
39 ​40 ​Summaries of Felonious Incidents ALABAMA On September 26 at approximately 9:30 a.m., a 34-year-old officer with the Mobile County Court Police was killed. The 16-year veteran of law enforcement service, who was wearing body armor, was assigned to a screening station for visitors entering the Mobile County Courthouse. He was scanning a bag on an x-ray machine when a male approached the screening area and without warning opened fire with a semiautomatic 9 mm pistol. The first shot struck the victim officer in the side of the head, rendering him unconscious. The man then allegedly fired at a second court officer, striking him in the chest. A shot from an officer from the Mobile Police Department wounded the shooter who fell to the floor. When he attempted to get up and reached for his weapon, he was shot by a third court officer. Both the victim officer and the 29-year-old assailant were transported to local hospitals where each succumbed to his wounds. The motive for the attack remains unknown. ALASKA A senior patrol officer with the Anchorage Police Department was mortally wounded after he responded to a 911 domestic disturbance call on October 26 at 11:30 a.m. The 40-year-old officer was aware that the man causing the disturbance had an outstanding warrant for failure to attend a Domestic Violence/Anger Management Program and a domestic violence restraining order against him. Upon arriving at the scene, the officer, with more than 10 years’ law enforcement service, witnessed the man running into the residence of his estranged spouse. The officer, wearing body armor, entered the residence and confronted the individual, who allegedly produced a .44-caliber revolver and shot the victim officer in the head. After the shooting, the assailant went to a neighboring residence to which his
estranged spouse and two children had fled. Upon entering the residence, he shot and killed the 4-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl, shot and wounded his estranged wife, and fired upon the owners of the residence as they tried to escape. The 28-year-old assailant then committed suicide with one shot to the head. A backup officer found the victim officer and had him transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. ARIZONA Responding to a burglary in progress call on January 6 at approximately 1 a.m., a patrol officer with the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement was strangled to death. Dispatch reports that the 35-year-old officer had stopped two males on the Navajo Reservation and interviewed them about an apparent burglary. The males, reportedly intoxicated, were allegedly inside the police vehicle at the time of the attack. At some point during the questioning, the victim officer made an attempt to handcuff one of the individuals, when he was allegedly attacked and strangled. No other weapons were involved although the officer was disarmed. The males, aged 16 and 20, escaped, but later were apprehended and charged with First-Degree Murder. The victim officer had over 2 years of law enforcement service and was wearing a protective vest. ARKANSAS On February 12 at approximately 10 a.m., an 11-year veteran officer with the Hot Springs Police Department was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant. The 36-year-old officer went to a man’s residence to serve a misdemeanor warrant. The door was answered by a woman who indicated that her son was still asleep. After awakening him, she waited with the officer on the front porch while her son got dressed. Investigation indicates that when
41 ​he was dressed, the male emerged from the house and pulled a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun from behind him. Allegedly placing the weapon at the officer’s throat, he reportedly fired twice instantly killing the officer, who was wearing body armor. Stealing the victim officer’s patrol car, he fled the scene. However, a short time later he was apprehended in a wooded area east of Hot Springs. The 23-year-old alleged assailant was arrested and charged with Capital Murder. CALIFORNIA A 91l call to the Pomona Police Department at approximately 1:35 a.m. on May 11 alerted dispatch that one of their officers was down. A security guard, who had come to investigate the sound of gunfire in a remote section of Pomona, discovered the body of the 37-year-old police officer and saw two individuals running from the area. Responding officers found the downed officer, who was wearing body armor, lying near the open door of his marked patrol car with a single gunshot wound to the front of his head. Further investigation indicated that the victim officer, an 11-year law enforcement veteran, had stopped three suspicious pedestrians, two males and a female. While he was searching one male, a second male allegedly retrieved a concealed .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun and shot the officer. All three then fled the scene in different directions. A subsequent search of the area turned up an electronic pager, which was traced to a male parolee who had a history of arrests for numerous offenses including burglary, robbery, receiving stolen property, and battery. Following an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force, the 22-year-old owner of the pager was arrested in Arizona on May 22 and charged with Homicide. At 9 p.m. on July 13, an officer with the California Highway Patrol in Orange County
42
was killed while attempting to impound a vehicle. The 25-year-old officer, who had 1 year of law enforcement service, stopped a vehicle for unknown reasons. During the traffic stop, the officer, who was wearing body armor, determined that the man was driving with a suspended license. The officer began to inventory the vehicle when a struggle between the officer and the driver ensued, and both men fell to the ground. The first to get up, the driver allegedly fired seven rounds from a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun at the victim officer who remained on the ground, striking him in the rear lower torso, the front below the waist, and fatally twice in the head. The man then allegedly took the victim officer’s service weapon and fled in the patrol vehicle. Within an hour, the abandoned patrol car was recovered 7 miles from the scene of the murder. With assistance from the FBI and the Houston Police Department, a 25-year-old suspect was apprehended in Texas 4 days later and charged with Murder. On July 17 at approximately 6 p.m., a 26-year-old deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department was fatally wounded. Along with three fellow deputies, the victim deputy, who had 2 years of law enforcement service, responded to a domestic dispute involving a man with a gun. The deputy, who was wearing body armor, entered a residence from which a woman had reportedly been seen fleeing. A male positioned behind the front door allegedly fired three shots from a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun at close range into the rear of the victim deputy’s head. The man then allegedly engaged in gunfire with the assisting deputies. After suffering a wound in his torso, the alleged assailant was taken into custody. The victim officer was rushed to a nearby medical facility where he was pronounced dead following emergency treatment. It was later determined that the 48-year-old alleged assailant had a lengthy criminal history; he has been charged with FirstDegree Murder. ​An officer with the Los Angeles Police Department was wounded while he and his partner were pursuing a larceny suspect. On December 22 about 4:20 p.m., the victim officer and his partner were on patrol in their cruiser when they were flagged down by employees of a nearby convenience store. The employees stated that a male had stolen two six-packs of beer and indicated the direction in which the individual had fled. Following as directed, the officers located a man in an alley. He was ordered to keep his hands visible. However, he reached into his right pants pocket and extracted a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Multiple shots were fired at the victim officer seated on the passenger side of the cruiser. One shot entered between the panels of the officer's body armor and lodged in his chest. Though being fired upon, both officers were able to return fire. The driver exited from his side of the cruiser and fired two rounds that fatally wounded the 17-year-old assailant. The wounded officer was transported to a local hospital and later died during surgery. The 27-year-old victim officer had almost 2 years of law enforcement service.
FLORIDA
An officer with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department was fatally wounded when he confronted a suspicious person at approximately 10:15 p.m. on January 5. The 6-year veteran officer and his partner made contact with an individual lurking in shrubbery near an adult education center. The man broke away from the officers and ran across the highway. The officers gave chase on foot. Upon reaching the opposite side of the road, the individual allegedly turned and fired one shot from a .357-caliber revolver, which passed through the right arm hole of the victim officer's protective body armor and entered his heart. The victim's partner fired at the alleged assailant but did not hit him. The 27-year-old injured officer was taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his wound during surgery. An intensive manhunt using search dogs led to the suspect's arrest a short time later. The 34-year-old male was charged with First-Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault, Armed Robbery, and Resisting Arrest with Violence. He was found to have prior arrests for Burglary, Larceny, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, and Possession of Marijuana, as well as various traffic offenses.
On May 29 at approximately 12:30 a.m., an Orange County deputy sheriff died of multiple injuries suffered when he was struck by a stolen vehicle being driven through a police roadblock. Shortly after midnight, Orange County deputies began pursuing an individual driving a pickup truck which had been reported stolen. Attempting to establish a roadblock on the roadway ahead of the pursuit, the 37-year-old victim deputy with less than 2 years' law enforcement experience was placing stop sticks on the roadway. Allegedly, the driver of the pickup, operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol, ran the roadblock, struck the deputy, and continued fleeing. Pursuing deputies fired at the truck, striking the driver several times until he lost control and crashed the truck. The 18-year-old suspect was hospitalized in critical condition, paralyzed from the waist down. He has been charged with Second-Degree Murder.
An investigation into a high school burglary led to the death of a 54-year-old, 17-year veteran deputy with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office on June 13. Shortly after midnight, the victim deputy entered a high school to investigate a report of a burglary in progress. Inside, he encountered a male. A struggle ensued in which the deputy was disarmed and shot seven times with hollow point bullets from his own service weapon, a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. One of the gunshots, which proved to be fatal, entered the deputy's upper back. As he hurried to leave the area, the burglar was attempting to place the service weapon in his back pocket when he accidentally discharged it, causing a minor injury to his right leg. Still carrying the victim ​officer’s weapon, the alleged assailant attempted to flee the building but was confronted by a Brevard County sergeant, who was entering at the school’s front office door to serve as backup for the slain deputy. He immediately fired four rounds at the sergeant, one of which struck him in the leg. The suspect then jumped on the wounded officer, beating him and attempting to wrest his firearm from him. However, the sergeant was able to draw his weapon and fire one time into his adversary’s neck. The bullet entered the man’s spine causing paralysis and eventual death. Follow-up investigation revealed that the 20-year-old alleged assailant had been charged with 13 counts of school burglary/trespassing since April of 1995. He was on probation and awaiting sentencing later in the month. The sergeant recovered from his wounds and returned to duty. On September 17 at approximately 10:30 p.m., a deputy sheriff with over 5 years of law enforcement service with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department was killed answering a robbery in progress call. The 25year-old deputy heard a dispatch alert concerning a robbery and came on duty to assist in the pursuit of the two individuals who had reportedly fled in a stolen vehicle. Locating two males working on the exhaust system of a vehicle, the deputy called in the description, license plate information, and location of the vehicle. He followed that call with another requesting backup. Investigation indicates that the officer searched the men and that, at some point, one of them allegedly retrieved a .30-caliber semiautomatic rifle from the vehicle and fired upon the deputy. The deputy returned fire on his alleged assailants, wounding them both. Two assisting officers arrived on the scene minutes later to find the victim deputy dead from a gunshot wound to the side of his head. One officer pursued the suspect vehicle as it fled the scene, and the second remained with the victim deputy. A third officer who was approaching from the direction the fleeing suspects had taken was
44
alerted to the circumstances and established a roadblock. The two suspects, aged 29 and 36, were captured without further incident. They were charged with First-Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and Grand Theft Auto. GEORGIA At approximately 2 a.m. on January 3, a patrol officer with the Forest Park Police was slain after stopping a vehicle to investigate two occupants whom he had earlier observed behaving suspiciously. After pulling the vehicle over, the 25-year-old officer, who had over 3 years of law enforcement experience, radioed a request for a backup officer to meet him at the pullover site. He then approached the vehicle and asked the driver to exit. He searched the man for weapons and ran a computer check on his driver’s license. Then he asked for and received the man’s permission to search his vehicle. At that point, the backup officer arrived and took charge of the driver. The victim officer again approached the vehicle, this time requesting the passenger to exit so that a search could be made. The passenger verbally protested the search while exiting the vehicle and then quickly walked toward the assisting officer and the driver. As he approached the pair, he reached into his jacket pocket. The assisting officer shouted at the passenger to get his hand out of his pocket, alerting the victim officer, who moved from behind and attempted to grab the man’s hands. However, a shot was fired, apparently hitting the nearest police unit. Both officers rolled to the ground, but the victim officer, despite wearing body armor, was immediately shot three times in the head and neck. The assisting officer was in the process of drawing his own weapon when a bullet entered his left arm and traveled through his chest to rest between his spine and throat. Despite this serious wound, he was able to fire six shots at the gunman, one of which hit him in the lower back. The wounded man and his companion then fled in their vehicle. The driver dropped the 23-yearold gunman off at the nearest hospital, but his ​injury proved fatal and he died several hours later. After leaving the hospital, the driver drove to his residence. He asked his roommate, the owner of the vehicle involved in the incident, to report it stolen. The male left his residence and within a short timeframe called police to identify himself as being at the scene of the officer shooting. A search of the vehicle turned up 2.4 grams of cocaine under the right passenger seat. The murder weapon, a .38-caliber six-shot snub-nosed revolver, was found at the foot of a hill, having been tossed from the moving vehicle during the flight. Charges were not filed against the driver. The other officer recovered from his wounds and returned to duty.
the deputy attempted to handcuff him. At that point, the man allegedly gained possession of the victim deputy’s .40-caliber semiautomatic service weapon and began firing over his head, getting off ten rounds. One of the rounds hit an assisting deputy in the ankle, shattering the bone; a second hit the victim deputy in the chest, entering through an armhole in his protective vest. The investigator, who was holding down the man, then managed to fire one round near his head, causing the man to drop the weapon. The 25-year-old male was then taken into custody and has been charged with Murder and Aggravated Assault. The wounded deputy recovered and returned to duty.
A 30-year-old deputy sheriff with over 3 years of service with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Department was shot and killed at approximately 6:30 p.m. on February 13 while attempting to serve a felony warrant. Having been made aware that a man who was the subject of a felony warrant from Forsyth County was in Gilmer County, members of the Sheriff’s Department and the Ellijay Police Department went to a residence to serve the male with a warrant for Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Battery. Two deputies went to the front door, and three deputies and one officer went to the back door to prevent the suspect from escaping. After announcing their presence, the deputies knocked on the front door which was answered by a man and another individual holding a baby. The individuals were asked to step outside and were secured by the deputies. The suspect then looked out of the door and allegedly shouted that he would not surrender. After a short standoff, the deputies realized that the man was not going to cooperate and placed pepper gas inside the back door. Within moments, a man leaped out of a window and ran across the highway with officers in pursuit. A Gilmer County deputy was first to catch up with the man, whom he wrestled to the ground. A police investigator arriving on the scene assisted by pinning the man to the ground while
On September 12 at 1 p.m. a detective with the Ocilla Police Department was fatally wounded as he searched a residence looking for a male wanted in an earlier murder. Following leads on the location of the suspect, the 56-yearold detective, along with other officers, requested and received permission from the occupant to search the residence. While searching a poorly lit bedroom, the veteran detective with over 6 years’ law enforcement experience, found a male hiding in a closet. The 18-year-old suspect shot the victim detective in the chest with a .38-caliber revolver; he died at the scene. The suspect was killed by return fire from accompanying officers. ILLINOIS At approximately 9:40 p.m. on March 22, an off-duty Chicago police officer was shot and killed while investigating an assault in front of his own residence. The 40-year-old officer, who had nearly 3 years of police experience, went to the foyer of his building to investigate the assault, identified himself as a police officer, and began questioning a man. The man allegedly fled up the stairs to a second floor apartment with the officer in pursuit. After the officer followed the individual into the apartment, a struggle ensued, during which
45 ​the man was able to gain possession of the officer’s 9 mm semiautomatic service weapon. He shot the officer twice, once in the front of the head and once below the waist, mortally wounding him. Police units responding to the scene placed a 27-year-old suspect under arrest. He was subsequently charged with First-Degree Murder and Disarming a Police Officer. At approximately 4 p.m. on October 17, a 26-year-old patrol officer with the Kankakee Police Department was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on a busy highway. The patrol officer, with nearly 2 years of law enforcement experience, stopped a male and radioed dispatch for a license plate and driver’s license check. While standing by the driver’s door of his squad car, the patrol officer apparently did not notice the man exiting his vehicle armed with a .357-caliber revolver. The man fired at the officer, who was wearing body armor, striking him in the right arm pit and causing him to fall to the ground. He then approached the fallen patrol officer and continued to fire, striking the officer three times in the head and once in the forearm. The man then fled the scene and allegedly hijacked a vehicle at a nearby shopping area. A 22-year-old suspect was apprehended and arrested shortly thereafter. He has been charged with First-Degree Murder, Vehicular Highjacking, and Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. KANSAS A deputy sheriff with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed following a traffic pursuit in Wichita on January 8. Shortly before 1 a.m., the deputy, with more than 2 years’ law enforcement experience, attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle which had five occupants. The driver allegedly tried to elude the officer by speeding through a residential area. After contacting his radio dispatcher for backup, the deputy pursued the vehicle through winding streets until the driver lost control and crashed into a chain link fence in a residential
46
yard. Allegedly leaving the passengers behind, the driver exited the vehicle and ran to the rear of a residence with the victim officer in pursuit. Shots were heard by local residents and backup deputies arriving on the scene. When the driver came walking from behind the residence carrying two weapons, he was immediately apprehended. The body of the 24-year-old victim deputy was found behind the home with multiple wounds from a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun, including a fatal wound to the neck, which had entered above his protective vest. The suspect was found to be carrying both the alleged murder weapon and the victim officer’s service revolver. All four of the other occupants of the vehicle, which was later found to have been stolen, were also taken into custody. The 14-year-old alleged assailant was charged with First-Degree Capital Murder, two counts of Theft, Criminal Damage to Property, Aggravated Robbery, and Criminal Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 40 years without the possibility of probation or parole plus 9 years. LOUISIANA On January 27 at approximately 1:10 a.m., a deputy sheriff with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Department was fatally wounded as he and other deputies attempted to subdue a man allegedly wanted in connection with an armed robbery. Prior to the confrontation, the 37-year-old victim deputy, with more than 4 years’ law enforcement experience, attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a male, who was riding a motorcycle. He refused to pull over and a pursuit ensued, during which the male drove through several police roadblocks. Eventually, he was tackled off his motorcycle. As the victim deputy and other deputies struggled to subdue him, he managed to acquire the .357-caliber magnum service revolver of one of the responding deputies. He fired three rounds, one of which fatally struck the victim deputy in the front lower torso/stomach, and the other two struck another deputy in his legs. The 25-year-old ​male was killed by gunfire returned by assisting deputies. The deputy has recovered from his leg wounds and returned to duty.
incident. He has been charged with two counts of First-Degree Murder and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
A 6-year veteran police officer with the New Orleans Police Department was shot through the heart at approximately 11:30 p.m. on July 17 as he and his partner were investigating a suspicious person complaint. The complainant had reported a trespasser lurking near a shed in her backyard. As the officers approached the shed, a man allegedly stepped from the shadows and fired one shot at point-blank range from a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun into the chest of the 33-year-old victim officer. The male then fled the scene but was later discovered hiding under a nearby house by a canine unit. On discovery, the alleged assailant shot the police dog in the neck. The dog’s handler immediately returned fire, slightly wounding the suspect. The victim officer died in the hospital later that day. The 48-year-old male was arrested and charged with First-Degree Murder of a Police Officer and Injury to a Police Dog.
A 34-year-old deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office was fatally wounded at approximately 6:45 a.m. on October 5 while executing an arrest during a traffic stop in Metairie. The deputy, with 6 years’ law enforcement experience, had requested the description of a male involved in an armed robbery occurring 10 minutes earlier at a convenience store. The victim officer acknowledged receiving the information, but did not indicate to the dispatcher his location or his intention to perform a traffic stop. According to witnesses, the male began struggling with the victim officer and gained possession of the officer’s 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Reportedly, he then fired one shot knocking the victim officer to the ground. Standing over the victim officer, he allegedly fired the weapon three more times striking the officer in the chest and lower torso. The victim officer was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. After the shooting, the alleged assailant fled the scene. A 21-year-old man was arrested 3 days later and charged with First-Degree Murder.
On July 18 at approximately 11:30 p.m., a detective with the New Orleans Police Department was fatally wounded while investigating illegal drug trafficking. The 31-year-old detective, who was wearing both body armor and a raid jacket, and his fellow detectives entered a residence to execute a search warrant. A male who was hiding in the house opened fire upon the officers, striking the detective in the chest. The bullet entered through the armhole of his protective vest. Fellow detectives returned fire upon the 55year-old assailant who was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim detective, who had more than 8 years’ law enforcement service, was rushed to a local hospital where he died a short time later. Narcotics and a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun believed to have been used in the shooting were recovered. A second suspect, a 46-year-old male, was arrested inside the residence and taken into custody without
MICHIGAN At approximately 12:45 in the morning on January 9, a 32-year-old officer with the Detroit Police Department was shot and killed while investigating a suspected stolen vehicle during a traffic stop. The officer, with 2 years’ law enforcement experience, and his partner, along with a backup vehicle, stopped a suspicious vehicle. As the victim officer, who had positioned his patrol vehicle in front of the stopped car, approached the driver, the man allegedly jumped from his car and began firing with a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun. The victim officer, who was wearing body armor, was struck in the left side of the head and fell. Officers in the backup vehicle
47 ​returned fire, mortally wounding the assailant. The victim officer was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. His 20-year-old assailant was also taken to a hospital where he died later that day. MINNESOTA On January 29 about 9:15 p.m., a St. Joseph Police Department patrol officer was fatally wounded as he attempted to question the driver of a pickup truck matching the description of a vehicle involved earlier in an armed robbery. Prior to the stop, the 25-yearold officer, with more than 2 years’ law enforcement service, had communicated with the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher that he was following and intended to stop a vehicle with three occupants. The dispatcher requested a registration check, but the officer reported the license plate was “snow covered.” After stopping the pickup, the officer exited his cruiser, approached the vehicle, and asked the driver for identification. The driver, however, reached down, pulled out a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun, and fired five shots at the officer, wounding him in the head, neck, and front below the level of his vest. Two bullets fired at his chest failed to penetrate his body armor. After shooting the officer, the driver and two other suspects fled the scene and eventually abandoned their vehicle and separated. The suspect driver then broke into two homes, kidnaped an individual, and forced him to drive through a police roadblock. The driver then shoved the kidnap victim into the vehicle’s trunk. He continued driving until he was confronted by a Benton County Sheriff’s Office patrol car. Exiting the vehicle, the 26-yearold suspect refused commands to drop his weapon and was shot and killed by a deputy sheriff. Police apprehended the two other suspects, aged 19 and 27, shortly after the shooting. They have been charged with FirstDegree Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Kidnaping, Auto Theft, Burglary, and Criminal Damage to Property. The victim officer was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
48
On May 3 at approximately 1:10 p.m., a Rice County deputy sheriff investigator was struck and killed during a high-speed traffic chase. The deputy, with 9 years’ law enforcement experience, was assisting Scott County deputies who were in pursuit of a juvenile driving a stolen vehicle in a 35-mile, high-speed chase down an interstate highway. Positioning his unmarked car across the off-ramp of the interstate, the victim deputy partially blocked the exit. With the deputies in pursuit, the youth exited the highway. Even though he had room to maneuver his vehicle around the victim deputy’s car, he allegedly drove directly into it at a speed of about 90 miles per hour. The 40-year-old deputy was killed instantly. The 17-year-old male was treated for minor injuries and was subsequently charged with First-Degree Murder. MISSOURI On November 27 at approximately 10 p.m., a deputy sheriff with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office was killed when responding to a suspicious vehicle report. The 29-year-old deputy, who had nearly 3 years of law enforcement experience, was dispatched to a rural residence to investigate an unknown vehicle parked in the driveway. Evidence suggests that as he radioed dispatch reporting his arrival at the residence, the deputy was killed by a single shot to the forehead from a .38-caliber revolver fired at close range through his open car door. The victim officer, who was wearing body armor, had not exited his vehicle at the time he was shot. A 56-year-old male who had several prior arrests for assault and was on probation for assault at the time of the incident was arrested at the scene by a backup officer and charged the following day with First-Degree Murder. NEW YORK At approximately 10 p.m. on March 14, an officer with nearly 4 years’ law enforcement experience with the New York City Police ​Department was fatally wounded. The 33-year-old officer and a fellow officer, both wearing body armor and traveling together in an unmarked patrol vehicle, were alerted to a carjacking. The officers spotted the suspect vehicle with four male occupants and radioed that they were following it. When it stopped for a red light, a second police vehicle occupied by two additional officers boxed in the suspect vehicle. One of these officers pursued the driver, and the other pursued one of the passengers fleeing the vehicle. A witness reported a third male exited the vehicle, fired two shots from a handgun at the victim officer, and fled. The victim officer collapsed from wounds to his front upper torso above his body armor. He was taken to a local hospital where he died. The second officer of the unmarked vehicle pursued and apprehended the 27-year-old alleged assailant who was wounded in an exchange of gunfire. A police officer and a sergeant, both off-duty, reported hearing shots and observed a male running from the scene. When they challenged the male, he fired upon them, superficially wounding the officer in the chest. They returned gunfire and apprehended this 22-yearold alleged assailant. Several additional officers responded to assist and apprehended the 26-year-old driver. One occupant of the vehicle escaped apprehension. All three of the apprehended males were on parole. All were charged with Murder. A 9-year veteran patrol officer with the Eastchester Police Department was shot and killed during an ambush on March 21 at approximately 3 p.m. The 29-year-old patrol officer was dispatched to a local residence after a caller had reported that an unwanted person was standing in front of his residence. The caller requested that an officer be sent there. A short time later, the dispatch was informed that shots were being fired from this same location. When additional units arrived at the scene, they encountered a heavy barrage of rifle and shotgun fire coming from the residence. Several officers were pinned down by gunfire.
Assistance was requested from neighboring police departments, along with SWAT and Emergency Service Units from the Westchester Department of Public Safety and the New York City Police Department. Upon the arrival of these units, the officers were removed to a safe location. It was at this time that the victim officer was found mortally wounded in his vehicle, having been hit seven times by the sniper. Shots from a .30-06 caliber rifle had circumvented his body armor and entered his chest and back. During the ensuing siege, it was learned that the gunman was at home with his elderly grandmother. At that point, hostage negotiators and assault teams were requested. Approximately 15 hours after the incident began, the assault teams determined that the man had killed himself. Inside the residence, the body of his grandmother was found. It was later learned the assailant, aged 26, had a history of emotional and psychological problems, as well as substance and alcohol abuse. A 17-year veteran lieutenant with the New York City Police Department was shot and killed at 7 p.m. on October 18. The 40-yearold lieutenant was patrolling with another officer when he was stopped by an individual who complained of being harassed by a man, who was possibly wanted on an outstanding warrant. After calling for backup, the lieutenant, who was wearing body armor, approached the male with the intention of detaining him. The suspect, who had a lengthy arrest record that included an assault of a police officer, suddenly produced a .32-caliber revolver, fatally shot the victim officer in the right eye, and fled. Backup officers pursued the assailant and a gun battle ensued during which the 61-year-old man was shot and killed. On November 17 at approximately 5:35 p.m., an 18-year veteran investigator with the Ithaca Police Department was slain after responding to a disturbance call. The dispatch had received calls from concerned apartment
49 ​residents about loud shouting from one of the tenants. Three officers responded to interview the residents. Upon completing the interviews, the officers approached another apartment and identified themselves. In response, a female shouted threats at the officers. At that time, the fire department was called to the scene to force open her apartment door. When the door was partially opened, the female could be seen holding a knife. At that point, the officers attempted to spray pepper spray through the door opening. Additional backup was also requested and three officers arrived, including the 45-year-old victim investigator. These assisting officers entered the apartment through the opened door and once inside determined that the female had retreated to the bathroom and locked herself in. Approaching the door, the victim investigator jiggled the door handle; the female started shouting threats again. As the victim investigator was trying to communicate with the female, she suddenly emerged from the bathroom carrying the knife and stabbed him in the neck. One of the other assisting officers fired four shots, three of which struck the woman in the upper body. The investigator and his assailant were transported to the hospital where both later died. The 44-year-old woman was known to have a mental disorder. On December 21 at approximately 7:15 a.m., a 38-year-old officer with the New York City Police Department was mortally wounded during an apparent robbery attempt. Officers responding to a report of a robbery in progress, with shots being fired, discovered the body of a male inside a check cashing establishment. The male was wearing civilian clothing and not immediately identified as an off-duty police officer. He was lying on his left side, with an unfired firearm in his right hand, suffering gunshot wounds to his chest. Only after the arrival of emergency medical staff was it determined that the victim was a police officer. During the search for suspects, a second deceased victim, later identified as the store owner, was found as well as several
50
9 mm shell casings presumed to be from the murder weapon. The victim officer, a 9-year veteran who may have been working as a security officer for the store, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigation has led officers to speculate that the victim officer was forced to enter the store at gunpoint during an attempted armed robbery. Once inside, the victim officer apparently attempted to draw his weapon but was shot before he could use it. Investigators determined that the safe inside the store was intact and that the victims were in possession of their personal property. A 20-year-old male suspect was arrested on December 24. Three more suspects, aged 35, 22, and 19, were arrested on December 25. The 19-year-old was charged with First-Degree Murder of a Police Officer. The other three suspects were charged with Intent to Murder, Murder: Depraved Indifference, and Attempted Robbery. NORTH CAROLINA On April 15 at approximately 5:15 p.m., a 29-year-old patrol officer with the Oakboro Police Department was fatally wounded when he responded to a domestic disturbance call. The officer, with more than 2 years’ law enforcement experience, was the first officer on the scene. Exiting his vehicle, the officer walked to a small one-story house, approached the porch, and was immediately hit by a single round to the chest. The shot, fired from a .30-30 caliber lever-action rifle, came from inside the house through a closed window. The bullet penetrated the body armor worn by the victim officer, killing him instantly, and lodged in the back panel of the protective vest. The alleged assailant then exchanged gunfire with the police chief, who had followed as backup to the victim officer. Wounding each other, the chief and the suspect were taken to the hospital for treatment. The chief has recovered from his wound and returned to duty. The 42-yearold suspect was arrested and charged with Murder and has been adjudicated incompetent to stand trial. ​On October 5 at approximately 2:50 a.m., a North Carolina Highway Patrol officer found the body of a 30-year-old sergeant with the Jonesville Police Department along an interstate highway. The victim officer, with 5 years’ law enforcement experience, earlier had executed a traffic stop which investigators believe involved a man driving a stolen truck. They surmised that during the traffic stop the suspect shot the victim officer, who was wearing body armor, in the back of the head with a 9 mm weapon. The suspect then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. Police later recovered the vehicle at a location from which another vehicle had been stolen. The offender’s description and identity remain unknown. NORTH DAKOTA On March 20 at approximately 5:30 p.m., a senior patrol officer with the Watford City Police Department was fatally wounded responding to a disturbance at a local bar. After receiving a report of a shot being fired, the 39-year-old officer was dispatched to the establishment where he found approximately 18 persons, in addition to a male armed with two high-powered rifles and 100 rounds of ammunition. Backup officers arrived minutes later. The 18-year veteran officer assisted individuals in leaving the club; however, the armed male allegedly refused to allow two people to leave. A short conversation ensued during which the officer repeatedly ordered the male to lay down his weapons, but he refused. There was a brief exchange of gunfire between the two. The suspect was hit once in the leg. The officer was struck in the chest by a shot fired from a .30-30 caliber lever-action rifle which shattered his police badge. He fell to his hands and knees and took cover, but he was struck again in the coat sleeve, collapsed behind the bar, and succumbed to his initial wound. After holding two hostages for 9 hours, the 41-year-old suspect surrendered to a
negotiation team and a cousin. He was charged with Murder, Felonious Restraint, and Terrorizing. OHIO A 26-year-old trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on January 19 at approximately 3:15 a.m. The trooper, who had more than 2 years’ law enforcement experience, was in Ashland County investigating a report of a reckless driver when he stopped a vehicle being driven erratically. Investigation indicates the trooper approached the stopped car from the driver’s side and asked for the man’s driver’s license. The man replied that he did not have a license and then produced a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun and fired, striking the trooper in his left arm. Incapacitated, the trooper turned and fled to his patrol car as the man continued to fire at him. The trooper sustained a fatal shot that entered his lower back below his body armor and struck his heart. He fell to the ground at the rear of his vehicle where he was subsequently found dead. A 30-year-old man who had allegedly shot and wounded his mother during an argument earlier in the day was later apprehended after a high speed chase by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He has been charged with Aggravated Homicide. On March 2, a Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority patrol officer with nearly 4 years of law enforcement experience was shot and killed at approximately 2:10 a.m. The 27-year-old, off-duty patrol officer was working in uniform at a bar where he refused to admit three persons shortly after 10 p.m. At approximately 2:10 a.m. as the bar was closing, one of the three returned to the bar, approached the victim officer from behind and fired three fatal rounds into the back of his head. The victim officer attempted to draw his
51 ​weapon but fell to the floor. The assailant exited the bar, reloaded his .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun, and returned to continue firing into the prone body of the victim officer who was shot a total of 12 times. A 22-year-old suspect was arrested the same day and charged with Aggravated Murder. He has subsequently been convicted. At approximately 3:20 p.m. on May 23, an off-duty officer with the Dayton Police Department was shot and killed as he was reporting for work. The 25-year-old victim officer, with almost 4 months’ law enforcement experience, and another off-duty officer were about to enter their district headquarters when they were approached from behind by a male who made a sound at them. As the officers turned toward him, he opened fire with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Initially hitting the victim officer in the hand and knocking him to the ground, the assailant then shot the second officer in the face, knocking him down also. He then leaned over the first officer, who was wearing body armor, and shot him in the head. Fellow officers, responding to the gunfire, shot and killed the 24-year-old assailant. Prior to the confrontation with the officers, the man, while at his family’s store, shot and killed a delivery man. He then drove the victim’s truck to the police parking lot. Investigation has failed to produce a motive for the attacks. The second officer has recovered and returned to duty. A 24-year-old patrol officer with the Canton Police Department was fatally shot at approximately 6:15 a.m. on July 20 as he tried to apprehend a burglary suspect. The officer, with 1 year of law enforcement experience, was answering a call for assistance in the investigation of a burglary occurring at a city impound lot. The victim officer and his partner were on foot beside railroad tracks near the lot when they spotted a male running toward them on the tracks. The victim officer tried to apprehend the suspect, but the man allegedly produced a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and
52
fired two shots, striking the officer once in the neck just above his protective armor. Four more shots were fired at the victim officer’s partner, who returned fire, striking the alleged assailant in the thigh. The 22-year-old suspect then surrendered, was arrested, and charged with Aggravated Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Burglary, and Attempted Aggravated Murder. The fallen officer was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wound 2 days later. A 47-year-old patrol officer with the Cleveland Police Department was shot and killed at approximately 2 a.m. on December 30 while attempting to stop a stolen vehicle. While on patrol, the 8-year veteran officer and his partner observed a vehicle with a punched out trunk lock and ran the plates. When they received information that the plates were stolen, they turned on their patrol vehicle’s lights and siren to signal the driver to pull the car over. After stopping for a moment, the man drove off and a low-speed pursuit ensued, with other police cars joining in the chase. In an attempt to make a right turn during the chase, the driver wrecked the car, driving over a curb and hitting a building. As the victim officer and his partner exited their cruiser, the man allegedly began firing from his vehicle with a .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle. The victim officer was fatally wounded in the front upper torso and below the waist. His alleged assailant was then hit by return fire from other officers on the scene. The 37-year-old male, who was arrested and transported to the hospital for treatment, was subsequently charged with Aggravated Murder. OKLAHOMA At approximately 9:45 in the evening of June 10, a 45-year-old senior police officer with the Tulsa Police Department K-9 Patrol was mortally wounded while investigating an armed robbery of a restaurant. The 18-year veteran officer, along with a fellow officer and a police dog, was searching a nearby alley for ​the robbery suspect. Upon being discovered by the dog, a male opened fire with a 20-gauge semiautomatic shotgun, hitting one officer in the leg and wounding the victim officer in the front, below the waist, in the arms and legs, and fatally in the chest. Other officers at the scene shot and killed the 21-year-old assailant. The victim officer succumbed to his wounds early the next morning. PENNSYLVANIA A 9-year veteran officer with the Philadelphia Police Department was fatally wounded January 2 at 8:30 a.m. as she responded to two citizens’ complaints and a 911 call. Prior to the call, three employees who were in the process of opening the bank were forced at gunpoint into the bank. A male forced the hostages initially to lie on the floor and then ordered them to open the vault. A second male waited near the front door. A third male acted as a getaway driver and waited across the street. Responding to the call, the 43-year-old officer entered the bank and walked toward the manager’s office. Approaching the officer from the rear, the second male allegedly shot her in the back with a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun. The man exited the bank and immediately entered into a gunfight with another police officer. Dropping his weapon, he then fled in the waiting van. Still inside the bank, the first suspect heard the gunfire and fled out a side door. Allegedly, he discarded his weapon and some clothing before fleeing on foot. The victim officer was transported to a local hospital where she died of her wound. The recovered weapons were traced to two of the males. Over the next month, three suspects, two aged 26 and one aged 22, either surrendered or were captured; all were charged with Murder, Robbery, and related crimes. At approximately 11:30 p.m. on January 19, a 27-year-old off-duty officer with the Philadelphia Police Department was shot and killed while riding in a vehicle with
another off-duty officer. The victim officer, a 5-year veteran of law enforcement, had just left a lounge where he and his companion had encountered three males. One of the males allegedly recognized the victim officer’s associate as the policeman who had been involved in his criminal hearing earlier that same day. Unknown to the two officers, the three males followed them as they left the establishment. While the officers were stopped at a traffic light, the men pulled their vehicle along the passenger’s side of the officers’ vehicle and opened fire with a 9 mm automatic handgun. The victim officer was struck in the arms and hands and sustained a fatal shot in the rear upper back. The other officer, who was driving, was unharmed and followed a police car that had responded to the shots to a nearby hospital where the victim officer was pronounced dead. Two suspects were arrested early the next morning, and another was arrested by the FBI 6 days later in Delaware. The two 22-year-old and one 19-year-old males were charged with Murder, Attempted Murder, and related crimes. At approximately 1:15 p.m. on March 22, a 45-year-old Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Lansdale Resident Agency was shot and killed on the Philadelphia waterfront. In the course of an undercover drug investigation, the 16-year veteran agent was meeting with an alleged drug dealer and a cooperating witness to set up a future drug transaction. The agent and dealer were sitting alone in an automobile in front of a local hotel at the time of the shooting, the cooperating witness having previously exited the vehicle. Backup agents were covering the area. During the meeting, the agent attempted to arrest the dealer, and a gun battle erupted which ended in the death of both men. The agent’s assailant, who was armed with a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun, fired three shots, hitting the agent twice in the torso and once in the leg. The agent fired five shots from his .38caliber revolver, three of which struck and killed his 24-year-old assailant.
53 ​An off-duty 48-year-old Philadelphia Police Department detective was fatally wounded on August 15 at 9:30 p.m., as he walked through his neighborhood. The veteran detective, with 26 years’ law enforcement service, was apparently confronted by three armed males who attempted to rob him. In response to the threat, the detective drew his service revolver and attempted to arrest the men. A gunfight ensued, and the victim detective was fatally wounded in the chest by a bullet fired from a .22-caliber revolver. Nevertheless, he managed to wound two of his alleged assailants. Three suspects, aged 17, 20, and 25, were arrested by responding police and charged with Murder. PUERTO RICO A 46-year-old sergeant with the Puerto Rico Police Department was shot and killed on August 9 at approximately 12:30 p.m. The 18-year veteran sergeant, wearing body armor, was patrolling near Caguas with two other officers when they spotted two suspect vehicles containing several individuals allegedly wanted in connection with a robbery committed earlier that day in San Lorenzo. The victim sergeant, who was driving the police vehicle, pursued the vehicles which carried a total of seven males. In the course of the pursuit, a shot from a semiautomatic handgun was allegedly fired from one of the vehicles. The bullet entered the patrol vehicle and fatally struck the victim sergeant in the front of the head. Over the next several months, six suspects, two 20-year-olds, one 21-year-old, one 22-year-old, one 26-year-old, and one 28-year-old, were arrested. A seventh suspect, age unknown, died under other circumstances. SOUTH CAROLINA A 9-year veteran sergeant with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed on February 26 at approximately 7:30 in the evening upon responding to a suspicious person
54
call. The 32-year-old sergeant, wearing his protective vest, had responded to a call reporting a suspicious person trying to gain entry to a house through a bedroom window. Officers in a backup unit arrived a few minutes later and found the sergeant on the ground, shot twice. Though the handgun used to shoot the sergeant was not recovered, the wound to his shoulder and the fatal shot to the back of his head were consistent with injuries a .22-caliber would inflict, and two spent shells of that caliber were found at the scene. The sergeant was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Following an intensive manhunt conducted by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Sumter City Police, and the State Law Enforcement Division, a 30-year-old suspect was located hiding behind a nearby building, taken into custody, and charged with Murder. On September 19 at approximately 4:45 p.m., a 26-year-old patrol officer with the Greenville Police Department was fatally wounded while attempting to apprehend a wanted suspect. The victim patrol officer, who had 4 years’ law enforcement service, was patrolling in a one-officer marked vehicle when he observed a man against whom there were multiple outstanding warrants. The man allegedly ran to the rear of a residence where the patrol officer, pursuing on foot, overtook and grabbed him. As the officer wrestled him to the ground, a second individual came out of the residence and allegedly assaulted the officer, allowing the man to break free. The officer, who was wearing body armor, continued his pursuit around the corner of a metal shed at which time he was ambushed and shot twice in the face with a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol. After the victim officer fell to the ground, his assailant continued to fire, striking the victim officer four times in the back of the head and once in the lower body. The victim officer was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead several hours later. A 20-year-old suspect was arrested 6 days later and charged with Murder. ​TENNESSEE A 48-year-old, 20-year veteran officer with the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department was shot and killed at approximately 9:30 a.m. on May 17 while attempting to serve warrants on a man and a woman. The officer was responding to an anonymous tip that two wanted suspects, a 23-year-old male and his 20-year-old female companion, both with outstanding warrants, were about to flee town to avoid arrest. The victim officer arrived at the apartment complex where the couple lived and waited for backup. After the officer repeatedly knocked at the door of the residence with no response, he attempted to open the door with a passkey provided by the maintenance manager, but the door was bolted from inside. A few moments later, the female answered the door and allegedly asked the officer and the detectives to wait outside while she dressed. When she let them enter, they placed her under arrest and proceeded to search the house. The two policemen found broken shelves and loose insulation in a bedroom closet. A trap door in the ceiling of the closet was discovered, leading to an attic where the male was hiding. After attempts to persuade him to come down failed, the victim officer, along with an additional uniformed officer, climbed into the attic and found a man armed with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. The victim officer told him to lay down his weapon, and after some discussion, the man opened fire, striking both officers. One officer was struck in the knee and dove from the attic through the trap door. The victim officer was shot several times in the arms and hands, front upper torso, front lower torso, and back of the head. The male, who had exited the attic, continued to fire at the officers outside even though he had communicated that he wanted to surrender. Several officers, in an attempt to rescue the victim, entered the apartment to find the gunman in a bedroom reloading his weapon. After failing to disarm the assailant, the officers shot and killed him. The victim officer was
subsequently rescued from the attic and taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. On July 26 at approximately 3:15 a.m., the body of a 38-year-old patrol officer with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was found near Memphis in her wrecked patrol vehicle. Earlier that morning, the victim officer, with 4 years’ law enforcement experience, had stopped a male and his female companion for a misdemeanor traffic violation. When a computer check indicated that the man was wanted on a violation of probation warrant, the victim officer, who was wearing body armor, along with an assisting deputy arrested him. Due to his large size, the man was placed in two sets of handcuffs before being searched. The prisoner was then placed in the victim officer’s patrol vehicle to be transported to the county jail. During the trip, he allegedly managed to produce a .38-caliber revolver and fire one shot to the back of the officer’s head. The vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a sign, and came to rest. After shooting through the rear passenger glass, the suspect exited the vehicle and then reportedly fired another round through the right front window, this time striking the left side of the victim’s face. Leaving the murder weapon in the vehicle, the assailant fled the scene with the officer’s service weapon and the key to his handcuffs. A 25-year-old suspect was apprehended later that day and charged with First-Degree Murder. TEXAS A senior agent with the United States Border Patrol assigned to the Eagle Pass station was fatally wounded on January 19 at approximately 10:40 p.m. The agent, with 8 years’ law enforcement service, was shot while attempting to arrest four illegal aliens who were allegedly smuggling drugs into the United States. During the arrest attempt, a physical confrontation allegedly between the
55 ​agent and one of the men occurred which resulted in both individuals firing their weapons. The 33-year-old victim agent was shot in the chest by a bullet fired from a .22caliber revolver; however, he managed to wound his alleged assailant in the wrist before the male fled back across the border. Law enforcement officers in Mexico later arrested a 46-year-old suspect. He has been charged with Murder and Narcotics Trafficking. A deputy sergeant with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Department was shot and killed on May 24 at approximately 2:30 p.m. while attempting to serve a warrant. The 33-yearold victim deputy, who had over 4 years of law enforcement experience, and his partner were attempting to serve a man with a warrant on a charge of terroristic threatening. When the two deputies entered the man’s mobile home to serve the warrant, a struggle allegedly ensued. The officers were attempting to subdue the man when he allegedly produced a .38-caliber handgun and fired, striking the victim deputy sergeant in the head, neck, chest, and leg. The victim’s partner suffered minor wounds to his arm and shoulder. The 47-year-old alleged assailant, who had a history of mental problems, was apprehended at the scene after more officers arrived to assist. He has been charged with Capital Murder of a Peace Officer. On October 27 at approximately 1:45 p.m., the body of an 8-year veteran of the City of Giddings Police Department was discovered buried in a shallow grave on the property of a local citizen. An autopsy indicated that the 49year-old victim officer had died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by two different weapons, a .22-caliber handgun and what was later determined to be the victim officer’s .45-caliber service weapon. Investigation revealed that the victim officer had responded to assist a trooper in locating a driver who allegedly had left the scene of a one-vehicle accident. Witnesses reported seeing a male leave the wrecked vehicle
56
carrying a large duffel bag. The same male allegedly was later seen in the vicinity of a local residence and mechanic garage. Another witness observed a Giddings police officer, in a marked patrol unit, talking to a male near the residence. A witness in the residence reported hearing shots and observing the police vehicle depart the residence driveway and travel eastward. When efforts to raise the officer on the radio were unsuccessful, numerous law enforcement personnel responded to the area in an attempt to locate both the officer and the driver of the abandoned wrecked vehicle. The victim officer’s abandoned patrol vehicle, in which a struggle appeared to have occurred, was discovered by law enforcement personnel less than a mile east of the residence driveway. In the meantime, the owner of the residence and the garage discovered the victim officer’s radio in his garage and blood on the driveway, which led law enforcement personnel to the body. A massive search was conducted, and an illegal alien was apprehended 2 days later in a wooded area near the scene of the murder. At the time of arrest, the male was in possession of the victim officer’s service weapon and spare ammunition clip as well as counterfeit INS identification and social security cards. He confessed to the crime and was charged with Capital Murder. On December 21 at approximately 10 p.m., a 38-year-old deputy with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department was fatally wounded while working in an off-duty status. The 9-year veteran of law enforcement service was working in uniform, along with a fellow off-duty deputy also in uniform, as security at a local restaurant. Following a disturbance earlier in the evening, the victim deputy had ejected a male from the restaurant. Later, as the two deputies were attempting to curb another disturbance and were escorting an unruly male from the restroom, the individual they earlier ejected allegedly returned, opened fire on the officers with a 9 mm automatic handgun, and then fled. The victim deputy, who was wearing body armor, was struck in ​the head and leg. He subsequently was taken to a hospital where he later succumbed to his wounds. The second deputy was wounded in the arm and called 911 for assistance. Though he was hospitalized following the shooting, he has since recovered and returned to duty. Two days following the incident, the 24-year-old suspect surrendered to law enforcement officers in Missouri. He has been charged with Capital Murder of a Police Officer. WISCONSIN On September 7 at approximately 7:20 p.m., a Milwaukee Police Department plainclothes officer was shot and killed while in pursuit of a suspect wanted on a burglary warrant and suspicion of drug dealing. The 29-year-old officer, with nearly 4 years of police experience, was patrolling with his partner through a residential area when they observed a male, who allegedly began to run when they called to him. The victim officer exited the unmarked patrol vehicle and began to chase the man through the neighborhood. The man allegedly ran through a hole in a fence and stopped on the other side to wait for the pursuing officer. He allegedly fired a .357caliber revolver at the victim officer fatally wounding him in the front upper torso where the bullet entered through the side panel of his body armor. The victim officer’s partner, who had been following the chase in their vehicle and then on foot, arrived on the scene and fired at the suspect, hitting him in the leg as he fled
the scene. Responding backup officers sealed the area and, by following a trail of blood, found the suspect hidden in the upstairs of a nearby residence where a .357-caliber revolver was also found. The 28-year-old alleged assailant was arrested without further incident and charged with First-Degree Intentional Homicide of a Police Officer, Parole Violation, and a Felon in Possession of a Weapon. A 27-year veteran corporal with the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office was killed on September 10 at approximately 10:35 p.m. while investigating a report of vandalism. The officer was dispatched to investigate a report of the spray painting of an apartment door. When the officer arrived at the scene, he entered the apartment building and began climbing the stairs in order to meet with the complainant. As he approached the top of the stairs, one of the apartment doors opened and a male exited. He allegedly began firing numerous shots at the officer from a .223-caliber automatic rifle. The man then pointed his weapon at the complainant who was able to retreat unharmed into her apartment. The man resumed firing at the officer who had fallen to the bottom of the staircase; a total of 30 rounds were fired. The officer, aged 57, was mortally wounded with injuries to his neck, head, and chest. Shortly thereafter, the 36-year-old assailant committed suicide using the same weapon with which he had assaulted the victim officer. It was not learned whether the male was the culprit of the spray painting.
57 ​58 ​PLACES AND CIRCUMSTANCES
59 ​60 ​Table 22. — Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed, 1987S S 1996 Region, Division, and State Area
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Total
639
74
77
79
67
53
66
59
62
57
45
82
12
10
14
6
9
8
3
5
8
7
26
1
4
6
2
4
2
0
1
5
1
3 5 12 3 1 2
0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 2 0 1 0
1 0 2 2 0 1
0 1 1 0 0 0
2 0 2 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 4 1 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0
56
11
6
8
4
5
6
3
4
3
6
New Jersey New York Pennsylvania
11 26 19
3 5 3
1 4 1
1 2 5
0 2 2
0 2 3
2 3 1
2 1 0
0 3 1
1 1 1
1 3 2
MIDWEST
100
14
6
14
6
6
7
16
14
11
6
71
12
5
11
4
3
5
9
12
7
3
14 9 18 15 15
1 1 5 0 5
2 0 0 2 1
4 1 1 2 3
0 2 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 1
2 0 2 1 0
3 1 1 0 4
1 2 4 4 1
1 0 3 3 0
0 1 1 1 0
29
2
1
3
2
3
2
7
2
4
3
6 5 3 13 1 1 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 2 0 0 0
0 0 0 2 0 0 0
3 1 1 2 0 0 0
0 0 0 2 0 0 0
0 3 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 1 0 0
304
23
39
35
38
26
40
26
26
29
22
South Atlantic
140
14
17
12
13
12
19
14
15
13
11
Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Maryland North Carolina South Carolina Virginia West Virginia
5 2 46 25 12 14 22 12 2
1 0 6 1 2 0 2 1 1
0 0 3 5 2 2 3 2 0
0 0 6 1 0 0 4 1 0
2 0 4 4 0 2 0 1 0
0 0 6 2 1 0 2 1 0
0 0 7 1 2 2 6 1 0
0 0 5 3 1 3 1 1 0
0 0 3 5 2 2 1 1 1
0 1 6 0 1 2 1 2 0
2 1 0 3 1 1 2 1 0
NORTHEAST New England Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont Middle Atlantic
East North Central Illinois Indiana Michigan Ohio Wisconsin West North Central Iowa Kansas Minnesota Missouri Nebraska North Dakota South Dakota SOUTH
61 ​Table 22. — Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed, 1987S S 1996 Region, Division, and State — Continued Area East South Central
Total
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
54
1
9
10
7
5
5
4
3
5
5
27 5 9 13
1 0 0 0
3 1 1 4
5 1 3 1
6 1 0 0
2 1 0 2
3 0 0 2
2 0 2 0
0 0 2 1
3 0 1 1
2 1 0 2
110
8
13
13
18
9
16
8
8
11
6
9 21 9 71
0 1 3 4
1 3 0 9
2 1 0 10
0 1 3 14
2 3 0 4
2 3 1 10
1 1 0 6
0 2 0 6
1 2 2 6
0 4 0 2
135
24
20
14
14
11
10
11
12
9
10
52
10
5
6
9
0
6
4
6
3
3
21 6 3 2 4 5 8 3
5 2 0 0 0 0 3 0
1 0 0 2 1 1 0 0
1 1 2 0 0 2 0 0
6 1 0 0 0 1 1 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 2 1 1 0
2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Pacific
83
14
15
8
5
11
4
7
6
6
7
Alaska California Hawaii Oregon Washington
3 63 5 5 7
0 12 0 0 2
0 13 0 2 0
0 8 0 0 0
0 3 1 0 1
0 7 2 0 2
1 2 0 0 1
0 4 0 2 1
2 4 0 0 0
0 4 2 0 0
0 6 0 1 0
U.S. TERRITORIES
10
1
0
1
3
1
1
3
0
0
0
American Samoa Guam Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands
0 1 0 9 0
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 3 0
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 3 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
FOREIGN
8
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
Peru Philippines
6 2
0 0
0 2
1 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
5 0
0 0
0 0
Alabama Kentucky Mississippi Tennessee West South Central Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma Texas WEST Mountain Arizona Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah Wyoming
62 ​Table 23. — Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed, 1987S S 1996 Circumstances at Scene of Incident Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Total
639
74
77
79
67
53
66
59
62
57
45
Automobile Accidents
329
36
35
43
27
24
34
38
32
32
28
Motorcycle Accidents
53
5
6
5
10
6
5
1
8
3
4
Aircraft Accidents
68
5
7
10
7
7
5
9
10
8
0
Struck by Vehicles (traffic stops, roadblocks, etc.)
48
7
7
8
6
5
6
1
3
1
4
Struck by Vehicles (directing traffic, assisting motorists, etc.)
58
11
9
4
9
3
5
3
4
8
2
Accidental Shootings (crossfires, mistaken identities, firearm mishaps)
29
4
6
4
4
1
3
3
1
2
1
Accidental Shootings (training sessions)
6
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
1
0
1
Accidental Shootings (self-inflicted)
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
47
5
6
5
3
7
8
2
3
3
5
Other (falls, drownings, etc.)
63 ​64 ​SECTION II Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted An average of 13 of every 100 law enforcement officers in the Nation were assaulted in 1996. For the year, 46,695 line-of-duty assaults were reported by 7,808 agencies covering 63 percent of the total United States population. These agencies employed a total of 373,575 officers. Geographically, the Southern States registered the highest assault rate at 14 per 100 officers. The Midwestern States and the Western States each followed with 12 assaults per 100 officers, and the Northeastern States averaged 11 assaults per 100 officers. By population grouping, the assault rates ranged from 19 per 100 officers in cities of 100,000 to 249,999 inhabitants to 6 assaults per 100 officers in the rural counties. The 1996 assault rate of 12.5 per 100 officers dropped 7 percent below the 1995 rate of 13.5. It was 29 percent below the 1992 rate of 17.6 per 100 officers and 26 percent lower than the 1987 rate of 16.8. Injuries Assaults resulted in personal injury to 14,985 law enforcement officers in 1996. Though nearly the same as the 1995 rate of assaults with injury, the 1996 rate of 4 per 100 officers is lower than any other year since 1987. Among the geographic regions, the injury rate in the Northeast was 6 for every 100 officers. The Midwest recorded 4 assaults with
injury for every 100 officers, and the South and West each recorded 3 assaults with injury for every 100 officers. Within the population groups, law enforcement agencies in cities with over 250,000 inhabitants recorded the greatest assault injury rate, 6 per 100 officers. The lowest rate, 2 per 100 officers, was recorded in the rural counties. Weapons Eighty-three percent of assaults on law enforcement officers during 1996 were committed with personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.). Thirty-two percent of assaults with these weapons resulted in injuries. Firearms were used in 4 percent of all assaults; of the officers attacked with these weapons, 25 percent were injured. Two percent of the assaults were with knives or cutting instruments; 31 percent of these victims received injuries. Eleven percent of the officers were attacked with other dangerous weapons; 40 percent were injured. Circumstances Accounting for 3 of every 10 assaults, responding to disturbance calls (family quarrels, man with gun, bar fights, etc.) resulted in more officer assaults than any other circumstance. Twenty-three percent of the assault victims were attempting arrests when assaulted (2 percent by burglary suspects, 2 percent by robbery suspects, and the remainder
65 ​by suspects of all other crimes). Twelve percent of all assaults occurred while the officers were handling, transporting, or maintaining custody of prisoners; 10 percent while investigating suspicious persons or circumstances; and 9 percent while making traffic pursuits or stops. The remainder of the assaults took place while the officers were performing various other duties.
Times
Types of Assignment
Clearances
During 1996, 4 of 5 law enforcement officers assaulted were on vehicle patrol at the time they were attacked. Fifty-six percent of all assault victims were assigned to 1-officer vehicles, while 25 percent were assigned to 2-officer vehicles. Six percent of those assaulted were on detective or special assignment, and 13 percent were performing other duties. Seventy-three percent of the victims were assisted at the scene of the incident by fellow officers.
Ninety-five percent of all reported assaults on law enforcement officers in 1996 were cleared by arrest or exceptional means. Assaults occurring during the circumstances attempting other arrests and handling, transporting, custody of prisoners were each most frequently cleared (96 percent). The circumstance with the lowest clearance rate, 77 percent, was ambush.
66
As in previous years, most assaults on law enforcement officers occurred during the evening and early morning duty shifts. Approximately two-thirds of all assaults took place during the hours of 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. The remaining one-third took place between 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. ​Table 24. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Region and Division
Total
Rate per 100 Officers
Assaults with Injury
Rate per 100 Officers
Total
46,695
12.5
14,985
4.0
Northeast
12,308
11.3
6,104
5.6
2,524 9,784
12.2 11.1
694 5,410
3.4 6.1
7,693
12.3
2,334
3.7
4,458 3,235
11.1 14.5
1,435 899
3.6 4.0
17,705
14.0
4,071
3.2
8,812 1,033 7,860
16.4 9.0 12.8
1,392 380 2,299
2.6 3.3 3.7
8,989
11.9
2,476
3.3
3,106 5,883
13.2 11.4
638 1,838
2.7 3.6
Region Division
New England Middle Atlantic Midwest East North Central West North Central South South Atlantic East South Central West South Central West Mountain Pacific
Table 25. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Population Group
Total
Rate per 100 Officers
Assaults with Injury
Rate per 100 Officers
Total
46,695
12.5
14,985
4.0
Group I (250,000 and over) Group II (100,000 S 249,999) Group III (50,000 S 99,999) Group IV (25,000 S 49,999) Group V (10,000 S 24,999) Group VI (under 10,000) Suburban Counties Rural Counties
17,846 5,839 5,239 3,206 3,184 3,139 6,710 1,532
15.5 19.3 18.0 11.2 9.4 7.3 10.1 5.5
6,879 1,699 1,220 861 954 997 1,899 476
6.0 5.6 4.2 3.0 2.8 2.3 2.9 1.7
Population Group of Victim Officer’s Agency
67 ​Table 26. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Region and Division by Type of Weapon Type of Weapon
Firearm
Knife or Cutting Instrument
Other Dangerous Weapon
Personal Weapons
46,695 100.0
1,887 4.0
871 1.9
5,084 10.9
38,853 83.2
12,308
436
195
1,429
10,248
2,524 9,784
22 414
27 168
175 1,254
2,300 7,948
7,693
273
124
767
6,529
4,458 3,235
146 127
61 63
422 345
3,829 2,700
17,705
754
325
1,909
14,717
8,812 1,033 7,860
345 89 320
163 25 137
1,066 106 737
7,238 813 6,666
8,989
424
227
979
7,359
3,106 5,883
133 291
88 139
339 640
2,546 4,813
Region Division
Total
Total Percent distribution1 Northeast New England Middle Atlantic Midwest East North Central West North Central South South Atlantic East South Central West South Central West Mountain Pacific 1
Because of rounding, percentages may not add to 100.
Table 27. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Population Group by Type of Weapon Type of Weapon
Firearm
Knife or Cutting Instrument
Other Dangerous Weapon
Personal Weapons
46,695 100.0
1,887 4.0
871 1.9
5,084 10.9
38,853 83.2
17,846 5,839 5,239 3,206 3,184 3,139 6,710 1,532
1,084 164 77 60 50 103 202 147
351 106 74 68 74 56 92 50
2,131 587 515 322 299 312 719 199
14,280 4,982 4,573 2,756 2,761 2,668 5,697 1,136
Population Group of Victim Officer’s Agency
Total
Total Percent distribution1 Group I (250,000 and over) Group II (100,000 S 249,999) Group III (50,000 S 99,999) Group IV (25,000 S 49,999) Group V (10,000 S 24,999) Group VI (under 10,000) Suburban Counties Rural Counties 1
Because of rounding, percentages may not add to 100.
68 ​Table 28. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Circumstances at Scene of Incident by Type of Weapon, Percent Distribution Type of Weapon
Firearm
Knife or Cutting Instrument
Other Dangerous Weapon
Personal Weapons
46,695 100.0
1,887 4.0
871 1.9
5,084 10.9
38,853 83.2
Disturbance Calls (family quarrels, man with gun, etc.) Percent Distribution
14,063 100.0
558 4.0
394 2.8
996 7.1
12,115 86.1
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects Percent Distribution
792 100.0
46 5.8
19 2.4
129 16.3
598 75.5
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects Percent Distribution
713 100.0
152 21.3
25 3.5
134 18.8
402 56.4
Attempting Other Arrests Percent Distribution
9,250 100.0
263 2.8
129 1.4
899 9.7
7,959 86.0
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.) Percent Distribution
556 100.0
2 .4
9 1.6
77 13.8
468 84.2
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners Percent Distribution
5,784 100.0
26 .4
29 .5
277 4.8
5,452 94.3
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances Percent Distribution
4,506 100.0
262 5.8
78 1.7
532 11.8
3,634 80.6
Ambush (no warning) Percent Distribution
236 100.0
74 31.4
8 3.4
89 37.7
65 27.5
Mentally Deranged Percent Distribution
762 100.0
29 3.8
48 6.3
79 10.4
606 79.5
Traffic Pursuits and Stops Percent Distribution
4,333 100.0
155 3.6
39 .9
1,048 24.2
3,091 71.3
All Other Percent Distribution
5,700 100.0
320 5.6
93 1.6
824 14.5
4,463 78.3
Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
Total Percent Distribution1
1
Because of rounding, percentages may not add to 100.
69 ​Table 29. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Type of Assignment by Circumstances at Scene of Incident, Percent Distribution Type of Assignment
1-Officer Vehicle Alone Assisted
Detective/ Special Assignment Alone Assisted
Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
2-Officer Vehicle
Total Percent of Assignment1
46,695 100.0
11,628 100.0
9,627 100.0
16,471 100.0
865 100.0
1,878 100.0
2,026 100.0
4,200 100.0
Disturbance Calls (family quarrels, man with gun, etc.) Percent of Assignment
14,063 30.1
3,643 31.3
2,710 28.1
6,445 39.1
178 20.6
203 10.8
238 11.7
646 15.4
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects Percent of Assignment
792 1.7
290 2.5
122 1.3
290 1.8
7 .8
39 2.1
22 1.1
22 .5
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects Percent of Assignment
713 1.5
275 2.4
74 .8
160 1.0
17 2.0
57 3.0
74 3.7
56 1.3
Attempting Other Arrests Percent of Assignment
9,250 19.8
2,421 20.8
1,757 18.3
2,955 17.9
199 23.0
691 36.8
333 16.4
894 21.3
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.) Percent of Assignment
556 1.2
151 1.3
71 .7
185 1.1
13 1.5
18 1.0
20 1.0
98 2.3
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners Percent of Assignment
5,784 12.4
1,062 9.1
1,071 11.1
1,515 9.2
76 8.8
226 12.0
512 25.3
1,322 31.5
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances Percent of Assignment
4,506 9.6
1,377 11.8
1,007 10.5
1,352 8.2
109 12.6
259 13.8
165 8.1
237 5.6
Ambush (no warning) Percent of Assignment
236 .5
73 .6
63 .7
25 .2
6 .7
12 .6
18 .9
39 .9
Mentally Deranged Percent of Assignment
762 1.6
248 2.1
122 1.3
286 1.7
9 1.0
12 .6
23 1.1
62 1.5
Traffic Pursuits and Stops Percent of Assignment
4,333 9.3
1,100 9.5
1,174 12.2
1,700 10.3
64 7.4
81 4.3
100 4.9
114 2.7
All Other Percent of Assignment
5,700 12.2
988 8.5
1,456 15.1
1,558 9.5
187 21.6
280 14.9
521 25.7
710 16.9
1
Because of rounding, percentages may not add to 100.
70
Other Alone Assisted ​Table 30. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1987S S 1996 Type of Weapon and Percent Receiving Personal Injury
Year
Knife or Other Cutting Dangerous Instrument Weapon
Personal Weapons
Number of Agencies
(in thousands)
Number of Officers
Population
Total
Firearm
1987 Total Assaults Percent Injured
63,842 33.3
2,789 21.7
1,561 30.7
5,685 38.4
53,807 33.5
8,957
190,025
378,977
1988 Total Assaults Percent Injured
58,752 35.8
2,759 27.3
1,367 32.3
5,573 42.1
49,053 35.6
8,866
186,418
369,743
1989 Total Assaults Percent Injured
62,172 35.2
3,154 30.2
1,379 30.5
5,778 40.8
51,861 35.0
9,213
189,641
380,232
1990 Total Assaults Percent Injured
71,794 36.3
3,662 29.4
1,641 29.4
7,390 42.5
59,101 36.1
9,483
199,065
412,314
1991 Total Assaults Percent Injured
62,852 37.6
3,532 30.8
1,493 30.6
7,014 43.5
50,813 37.5
9,263
191,397
405,069
1992 Total Assaults Percent Injured
81,252 36.5
4,455 25.5
2,095 30.4
8,604 40.9
66,098 36.9
10,862
217,996
460,430
1993 Total Assaults Percent Injured
66,975 35.9
4,002 27.4
1,574 31.0
7,551 36.3
53,848 36.6
9,809
210,658
454,105
1994 Total Assaults Percent Injured
64,912 35.7
3,168 26.3
1,513 29.4
7,210 36.7
53,021 36.3
10,626
221,572
480,343
1995 Total Assaults Percent Injured
56,686 28.5
2,238 15.2
1,301 21.7
6,299 29.6
46,848 29.2
8,938
194,781
421,414
1996 Total Assaults Percent Injured
46,695 32.1
1,887 24.9
871 30.7
5,084 39.5
38,853 31.5
7,808
166,038
373,575
71 ​Table 31. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1987S S 1996 (Rate per 100 Officers) Type of Weapon
Year
Total1
Firearm
Knife or Cutting Instrument
Other Dangerous Weapon
Personal Weapons
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
16.8 15.9 16.4 17.4 15.5
.7 .7 .8 .9 .9
.4 .4 .4 .4 .4
1.5 1.5 1.5 1.8 1.7
14.2 13.3 13.6 14.3 12.5
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
17.6 14.7 13.5 13.5 12.5
1.0 .9 .7 .5 .5
.5 .3 .3 .3 .2
1.9 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.4
14.4 11.9 11.0 11.1 10.4
1
Because of rounding, rates may not add to total.
Table 32. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Time of Day by Population Group, Percent Distribution Time of Day
Total
Group I
Group II
Group III
Group IV
Group V
Total
46,695 100.0
17,846 100.0
5,839 100.0
5,239 100.0
3,206 100.0
3,184 100.0
3,139 100.0
6,710 100.0
1,532 100.0
15.6 9.8 3.8 2.0 3.4 4.3
13.8 10.0 4.2 2.0 3.5 4.7
15.4 10.0 3.8 1.8 3.3 3.9
18.4 11.5 3.0 1.5 3.1 3.8
15.8 10.4 3.6 1.7 2.8 4.0
18.0 10.3 3.0 1.5 3.3 3.6
18.4 9.7 2.9 1.8 2.8 3.3
15.9 8.5 4.2 2.8 4.1 4.8
14.1 5.8 2.5 2.4 4.4 4.8
5.5 7.0 8.9 10.9 13.6 15.3
6.0 7.5 9.4 11.4 13.0 14.6
5.1 6.6 9.2 11.0 13.3 16.4
5.1 6.5 8.7 9.0 13.4 15.9
5.8 7.3 7.5 10.4 14.5 16.4
4.7 6.6 8.0 10.2 13.8 17.0
4.1 6.1 8.4 9.5 15.7 17.4
5.5 7.1 8.9 11.8 13.0 13.3
5.2 7.4 8.6 13.0 17.1 14.8
Percent Distribution1
Group Suburban VI Counties
Rural Counties
A.M. 12:01 S 2 2:01 S 4 4:01 S 6 6:01 S 8 8:01 S 10 10:01 S Noon P.M. 12:01 S 2 2:01 S 4 4:01 S 6 6:01 S 8 8:01 S 10 10:01 S Midnight
1
Because of rounding, percentages may not add to 100.
72 ​Table 33. — Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted, 1996 Circumstances at Scene of Incident by Population Group, Percent Cleared Circumstances at Scene of Incident
Total
Group I
Group II
Group III
Group IV
Group V
Group VI
Suburban Counties
Rural Counties
Total Percent Cleared
46,695 94.7
17,846 93.3
5,839 96.0
5,239 96.6
3,206 96.0
3,184 94.4
3,139 95.3
6,710 95.2
1,532 92.1
Disturbance Calls (family quarrels, man with gun, etc.) Percent Cleared
14,063 95.7
4,810 94.3
1,931 97.0
1,781 97.0
1,075 98.1
1,125 95.4
1,028 95.6
1,873 96.1
440 92.3
Burglaries in Progress/ Pursuing Burglary Suspects Percent Cleared
792 93.6
355 91.3
113 97.3
80 95.0
41 90.2
53 92.5
37 97.3
99 96.0
14 100.0
Robberies in Progress/ Pursuing Robbery Suspects Percent Cleared
713 92.3
476 89.3
51 100.0
46 100.0
18 100.0
23 95.7
10 90.0
85 97.6
4 100.0
Attempting Other Arrests Percent Cleared
9,250 96.3
4,063 96.4
1,098 96.2
998 97.3
633 97.2
719 92.4
651 96.9
865 97.6
223 95.5
Civil Disorders (mass disobedience, riot, etc.) Percent Cleared
556 91.4
153 89.5
60 88.3
128 95.3
57 91.2
57 93.0
51 84.3
34 100.0
16 87.5
Handling, Transporting, Custody of Prisoners Percent Cleared
5,784 96.3
2,029 97.7
564 99.6
578 97.8
445 93.9
375 93.6
354 94.6
1,163 94.3
276 93.8
Investigating Suspicious Persons/Circumstances Percent Cleared
4,506 93.4
1,979 92.3
654 95.3
557 96.8
290 94.1
244 95.5
271 94.8
435 89.7
76 89.5
Ambush (no warning) Percent Cleared
236 77.1
131 77.1
10 90.0
25 84.0
12 91.7
13 92.3
14 78.6
24 54.2
7 57.1
Mentally Deranged Percent Cleared
762 89.0
340 85.6
69 92.8
61 95.1
43 95.3
63 98.4
51 96.1
109 79.8
26 100.0
Traffic Pursuits and Stops Percent Cleared
4,333 94.3
1,455 90.9
557 96.9
467 95.3
269 96.3
274 95.3
361 95.6
666 95.6
284 97.2
All Other Percent Cleared
5,700 91.2
2,055 87.2
732 90.4
518 95.0
323 92.9
238 94.5
311 94.5
1,357 96.2
166 76.5
73 ​74 ​SECTION III Assaults on Federal Officers Federal agencies reported 556 assaults on officers during 1996. Three federal officers employed by the agencies were killed in the line of duty. Personal injuries were suffered by an additional 116 officers. During the 5-year period 1992-1996, 3,759 officers were assaulted, and 1,092 officers were injured. The following 22 were slain in the line of duty: 1 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent, 1 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agent, and 2 Deputy U.S. Marshals in 1992; 4 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Agents in 1993; 1 DEA Agent and 2 FBI Agents in 1994; 1 FBI Agent, 1 DEA Agent, 2 Customs Service Agents, 4 Secret Service Agents in 1995; 1 FBI Agent, 1 Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Agent, and 1 tribal police officer within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1996. The Department of Justice registered 58 percent of the total assaults in 1996. Thirtyone percent of the officers assaulted were with the Department of Treasury, 6 percent with the Department of the Interior, 4 percent with the U.S. Postal Service, and 1 percent with the U.S. Capitol Police.
1996. Twenty-three percent of the assaults occurred while officers were making arrests/ serving summonses, and 8 percent while officers were conducting investigations/ searches. Four percent of the victims were on office duty; 2 percent were maintaining custody of prisoners; 1 percent were on protection duty; and 1 percent were on court duty. Twenty percent were performing other duties when assaulted. Geographically, the West accounted for the largest portion of all reported assaults, with 42 percent. The South accounted for 40 percent; the Midwest for 10 percent; the Northeast for 6 percent; and U.S. territories, 2 percent. The locations for assaults on 64 DEA officers and 34 BIA officers were not reported. Locales are not available for the assaults on National Park Service officers. Information was received for 320 offenders identified in connection with assaulting federal officers in 1996. Disposition information was reported on 249 of these offenders. Fifty-six percent of the 249 offenders have been charged with assaulting a federal officer, and 57 percent of those charged have been found guilty. DEPARTMENTAL ASSAULTS - 1996
Personal weapons were used in 29 percent of all assaults in 1996. Firearms were the weapons used in 20 percent, other dangerous weapons in 11 percent, vehicles in 8 percent, knives in 2 percent, blunt objects and bombs combined comprised 1 percent. Twenty-nine percent of the assaults were threats. More federal officers, 232 or 42 percent, were assaulted while on patrol/guard duty than while engaged in any other activity during
Department of the Interior All 36 Department of the Interior officers for whom assaults were reported in 1996 were with the BIA. Information on assaults of the National Park Service officers was not available. One BIA officer was killed and 15 were injured as a result of the assaults. A tribal police officer within the BIA was fatally wounded while responding to a burglary in progress call.
75 ​Of the 36 officers attacked, 56 percent were making arrests/serving summonses; 25 percent were on patrol/guard duty; 8 percent were on office duty; and 3 percent had custody of prisoners. Eight percent of the victims were performing other duties.
Information on known assailants for INS officers was not reported. For the remaining Justice Department agencies, 124 assailants were identified in connection with 119 assaults.
Sixty-nine percent of the attacks were committed with personal weapons, 11 percent with vehicles, 6 percent with firearms, 6 percent with knives, and 3 percent with each of the following weapons: blunt objects, bombs, and other weapons.
The Department of the Treasury recorded 171 assaults on officers within its various branches. Thirty-five of these assaults resulted in personal injury. Most of the assaults (45 percent) were perpetrated against United States Customs officers. Customs officers also accounted for 21 of 35 Treasury Department officers injured in 1996.
Thirty-nine assailants have been identified in connection with the 36 assaults. Department of Justice The 320 attacks on officers of the Justice Department represented 58 percent of the total number of assaults reported in 1996. Sixty-one percent of these assaults were perpetrated against INS officers. Two Justice Department officers were killed and 52 were injured during the year. A United States Border Patrol agent was slain while attempting an arrest in a drug-related matter. One FBI agent was fatally wounded while working in an undercover capacity. Of all attacks against Justice Department officers, 33 percent were with firearms; 18 percent were with personal weapons; 5 percent with vehicles; 2 percent with knives; and 19 percent with other weapons. Threats comprised 23 percent of the total assaults. When assaulted, 60 percent of the officers were on patrol/guard duty; 9 percent were making arrests/serving summonses; 4 percent were on office duty; 3 percent were conducting investigations/searches; 3 percent had custody of prisoners; and 1 percent was on court duty. Twenty percent of the victims were performing other duties.
76
Department of the Treasury
Among the weapons used against all Treasury officers, personal weapons accounted for 36 percent, vehicles for 9 percent, firearms for 1 percent, knives for 1 percent, blunt objects for 1 percent, and other types of weapons, 1 percent. Threats accounted for 51 percent of the assaults. At the time of the assaults, 43 percent were making arrests or serving summonses; 17 percent of the victims were conducting investigations/searches; 10 percent were on patrol/guard duty; 2 percent were on office duty; 2 percent were on court duty; and 1 percent were on protection duty. Twenty-six percent were performing other duties. There were 131 assailants identified in connection with the assaults on Treasury officers. Fifty-six percent of these were assailants identified for the assaults of ATF officers. U.S. Capitol Police In 1996, 4 assaults were reported by the U.S. Capitol Police. One victim officer suffered personal injury. All victims were on patrol/guard duty when assaulted. ​Three Capitol Police officers were assaulted with vehicles, and 1 was assaulted with personal weapons. Three assailants have been identified. U.S. Postal Service Twenty-five postal inspectors and security police officers were attacked in 1996; 13 suffered personal injury as a result of the
assaults. Eighteen officers were attacked with personal weapons, 4 with vehicles, and 3 with firearms. By activity, 10 officers were on patrol/guard duty; 4 were on office duty; 3 were on protection duty; 3 were conducting investigations/searches; 3 were making arrests/serving summonses; 1 was on court duty; and 1 was performing other duties. Twenty-three assailants were identified.
77 ​78 ​Table 34. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1995S S 1996 Victims and Known Assailants Department and Agency Known Assailants
Victims Department Agency
1995
1996
1995
1996
Total
744
556
464
320
Department of the Interior
105
36
53
39
Bureau of Indian Affairs1 National Park Service2
--105
36 ---
--53
39 ---
299
320
122
124
65 40 180 14
64 53 194 9
67 44 --11
67 48 --9
306
171
261
131
112 10 138 46
66 4 77 24
162 5 63 31
74 4 33 20
United States Capitol Police
7
4
7
3
United States Postal Service
27
25
21
23
Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Immigration and Naturalization Service3 U.S. Marshals Service Department of the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Internal Revenue Service U.S. Customs Service U.S. Secret Service
1
Information on Bureau of Indian Affairs officers assaulted is not available for 1995. Information on National Park Service officers assaulted is not available for 1996. 3 Information on Immigration and Naturalization Service known assailants was not reported for 1995 and 1996. 2
79 ​Table 35. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1996 Victims Killed or Injured Department and Agency Killed Department Agency
Injured
Firearm
Other Weapon
Firearm
Other Weapon
Total
2
1
22
94
Department of the Interior
0
1
2
13
Bureau of Indian Affairs National Park Service1
0 ---
1 ---
2 ---
13 ---
2
0
19
33
0 1 1 0
0 0 0 0
0 2 17 0
3 10 19 1
0
0
0
35
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
3 1 21 10
United States Capitol Police
0
0
0
1
United States Postal Service
0
0
1
12
Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Immigration and Naturalization Service U.S. Marshals Service Department of the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Internal Revenue Service U.S. Customs Service U.S. Secret Service
1
Information on National Park Service officers assaulted is not available for 1996.
80 ​Table 36. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1992S S 1996 Type of Weapon Extent of Injury Year Extent of Injury
Total
Firearm
Knife
Blunt Object
Bomb
Vehicle
Personal Weapons
Threat
Other
Total
3,759
539
65
129
30
315
1,352
819
510
1992
661
102
14
65
0
63
262
143
12
4 176 481
4 9 89
0 4 10
0 14 51
0 0 0
0 26 37
0 118 144
0 0 143
0 5 7
770
108
7
17
8
44
338
170
78
4 215 551
4 20 84
0 0 7
0 6 11
0 7 1
0 14 30
0 150 188
0 2 168
0 16 62
1,028
120
29
36
2
88
381
170
202
3 314 711
3 23 94
0 7 22
0 7 29
0 0 2
0 30 58
0 185 196
0 4 166
0 58 144
7441
96
4
8
18
77
209
177
155
8 271 465
1 9 86
0 0 4
0 5 3
7 11 0
0 29 48
0 129 80
0 0 177
0 88 67
5562
113
11
3
2
43
162
159
63
3 116 437
2 22 89
0 2 9
0 2 1
0 0 2
0 14 29
1 69 92
0 0 159
0 7 56
Killed Injured Not Injured 1993 Killed Injured Not Injured 1994 Killed Injured Not Injured 1995 Killed Injured Not Injured 1996 Killed Injured Not Injured
1
Information on Bureau of Indian Affairs officers assaulted is not available for 1995. Information on National Park Service officers assaulted is not available for 1996.
2
81 ​Table 37. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1992S S 1996 Department by Type of Weapon Department
Total
Firearm
Knife
Blunt Object
Bomb
Vehicle
Personal Weapons
Threat
Other
Total
3,759
539
65
129
30
315
1,352
819
510
Department of the Interior
847
58
21
41
1
86
478
103
59
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
167 199 340 1051 362
19 14 20 3 2
1 5 13 0 2
9 5 24 2 1
0 0 0 0 1
11 12 41 18 4
86 137 180 50 25
32 19 50 2 0
9 7 12 30 1
368
31
74
4
100
474
375
322
376 358 54 395 299 320
69 2 69 70 106
12 10 7 3 7
54 0 7 2 1
0 16 2 1 1
35 132 15 18 16
125 90 87 73 57
81 54 67 65 72
0 141 67 60
1,000
97
11
11
25
99
299
334
124
89 181 253 306 171
14 34 28 19 2
1 0 8 0 2
2 0 5 3 1
0 8 0 17 0
13 11 30 29 16
27 56 83 72 61
29 57 52 109 87
3 15 47 57 2
32
0
0
0
0
9
23
0
0
5 7 9 7 4
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 6 3
5 7 9 1 1
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
132
16
2
3
0
21
78
7
5
24 25 31 27 25
0 6 3 4 3
0 0 1 1 0
0 2 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 0
4 5 2 6 4
19 6 22 13 18
1 4 1 1 0
0 2 2 1 0
Department of Justice 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Department of the Treasury 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 United States Capitol Police 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 United States Postal Service 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
1
1,748 3
Information on Bureau of Indian Affairs officers assaulted is not available for 1995. Information on National Park Service officers assaulted is not available for 1996. Immigration and Naturalization Service reported figures for only Border Patrol Division during 1992.
2 3
82 ​Table 38. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1996 Department and Agency by Type of Weapon Department Agency
Total
Firearm
Knife
Blunt Object
Bomb
Vehicle
Personal Weapons
Threat
Other
556
113
11
3
2
43
162
159
63
Department of the Interior
36
2
2
1
1
4
25
0
1
Bureau of Indian Affairs National Park Service1
36
2
2
1
1
4
25
0
1
Department of Justice
320
106
7
1
1
16
57
72
60
64 53
1 20
1 0
0 0
0 1
1 6
4 11
57 14
0 1
194 9
85 0
6 0
0 1
0 0
9 0
35 7
1 0
58 1
171
2
2
1
0
16
61
87
2
66 4 77 24
0 0 2 0
0 0 1 1
0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0
2 1 8 5
5 1 39 16
58 2 27 0
1 0 0 1
United States Capitol Police
4
0
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
United States Postal Service
25
3
0
0
0
4
18
0
0
Total
Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Immigration and Naturalization Service U.S. Marshals Service
Department of the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Internal Revenue Service U.S. Customs Service U.S. Secret Service
1
Information on National Park Service officers assaulted is not available for 1996.
83 ​Table 39. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1996 Department and Agency by Activity
Total
Arrests/ Summons
Court Duty
Custody of Prisoners
556
126
6
10
43
4
23
232
112
Department of the Interior
36
20
0
1
0
0
3
9
3
Bureau of Indian Affairs National Park Service1
36 ---
20 ---
0 ---
1 ---
0 ---
0 ---
3 ---
9 ---
3 ---
Department of Justice
320
29
2
9
11
0
13
192
64
64 53
3 23
0 2
0 3
2 7
0 0
3 10
0 0
56 8
194 9
0 3
0 0
0 6
2 0
0 0
0 0
192 0
0 0
171
74
3
0
29
1
3
17
44
66 4 77 24
0 0 74 0
3 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
15 4 3 7
1 0 0 0
3 0 0 0
0 0 0 17
44 0 0 0
United States Capitol Police
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
United States Postal Service
25
3
1
0
3
3
4
10
1
Department Agency Total
Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Immigration and Naturalization Service U.S. Marshals Service
Department of the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Internal Revenue Service U.S. Customs Service U.S. Secret Service
1
Information on National Park Service officers assaulted is not available for 1996.
84
Investi- Protecgations/ tion Searches Duty
Office Duty
Patrol/ Guard Duty Other ​Table 40. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1996 Disposition of Known Assailants Department and Agency Persons Not Charged
Persons Charged
Pending
Incompetent
Department Agency
Total
Deceased
Total
259
6
89
24
Department of the Interior
39
1
6
Bureau of Indian Affairs National Park Service1
39 ---
1 ---
Department of Justice
63
to Stand Trial
Awaiting Trial
Dismissed/ Not Guilty
Guilty
5
1
38
16
80
2
0
0
0
0
30
6 ---
2 ---
0 ---
0 ---
0 ---
0 ---
30 ---
4
18
7
4
1
14
1
14
6 48
0 4
4 5
0 7
1 3
0 1
1 13
0 1
0 14
--9
--0
--9
--0
--0
--0
--0
--0
--0
131
1
63
5
1
0
23
10
28
74 4 33 20
1 0 0 0
63 0 0 0
2 3 0 0
1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
2 1 14 6
0 0 3 7
5 0 16 7
United States Capitol Police
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
United States Postal Service
23
0
2
10
0
0
1
2
8
Drug Enforcement Administration2 Federal Bureau of Investigation Immigration and Naturalization Service3 U.S. Marshals Service
Department of the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Internal Revenue Service U.S. Customs Service U.S. Secret Service
Prosecutive Opinion
Prosecution Declined
Fugitive
1
Information on National Park Service assailants is not available for 1996. The Drug Enforcement Administration did not report disposition information for 61 known assailants for 1996. 3 Information on Immigration and Naturalization Service assailants is not available for 1996. 2
85 ​Table 41. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1996 Region, Division, and State by Type of Weapon Area
Total
Firearm
Knife
Blunt Object
Personal Weapons
Threat
Other
Total
4581
111
8
3
1
41
134
97
63
29
2
0
0
0
2
13
12
0
8
2
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
2 2 3 0 0 1
0 2 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 0 0 1
1 0 2 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
21
0
0
0
0
2
10
9
0
New Jersey New York Pennsylvania
3 15 3
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
1 1 0
2 6 2
0 8 1
0 0 0
MIDWEST
45
9
0
1
1
4
11
19
0
36
9
0
1
1
2
9
14
0
12 5 8 9 2
2 0 3 4 0
0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 1 0
5 1 1 1 1
3 4 4 2 1
0 0 0 0 0
9
0
0
0
0
2
2
5
0
0 0 2 4 2 1 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 2 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 0
0 0 2 2 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
183
55
4
2
0
14
56
43
9
South Atlantic
64
2
1
2
0
6
31
19
3
Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Maryland North Carolina South Carolina Virginia West Virginia
1 30 22 7 3 1 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 0
1 21 8 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 11 5 1 1 0 0 0
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
NORTHEAST New England Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont Middle Atlantic
East North Central Illinois Indiana Michigan Ohio Wisconsin West North Central Iowa Kansas Minnesota Missouri Nebraska North Dakota South Dakota SOUTH
86
Bomb Vehicle ​Table 41. — Assaults on Federal Officers, 1996 Region, Division, and State by Type of Weapon S Continued Total
Firearm
Knife
Blunt Object
17
3
1
0
0
1
2
10
0
7 1 0 9
1 0 0 2
0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1
2 0 0 0
4 1 0 5
0 0 0 0
102
50
2
0
0
7
23
14
6
Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma Texas
1 1 0 100
0 0 0 50
0 0 0 2
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 7
0 0 0 23
1 1 0 12
0 0 0 6
WEST
194
44
4
0
0
21
50
21
54
107
25
2
0
0
13
21
7
39
97 3 0 1 4 2 0 0
25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 2 0 0 3 1 0 0
19 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
5 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pacific
87
19
2
0
0
8
29
14
15
Alaska California Hawaii Oregon Washington
0 73 4 0 10
0 16 0 0 3
0 2 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 8 0 0 0
0 22 0 0 7
0 10 4 0 0
0 15 0 0 0
U.S. TERRITORIES
7
1
0
0
0
0
4
2
0
American Samoa Guam Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands
0 0 0 7 0
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 4 0
0 0 0 2 0
0 0 0 0 0
Area East South Central Alabama Kentucky Mississippi Tennessee West South Central
Mountain Arizona Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah Wyoming
Bomb Vehicle
Personal Weapons
Threat
Other
1
Locales are not available for 64 Drug Enforcement Administration officers and 34 Bureau of Indian Affairs officers. No information is available for the National Park Service.
87
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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