Police Officer Deaths on Duty Have Jumped Nearly 20 Percent in 2017
The ambush shooting that killed a New York City police officer in the Bronx marked the latest in a growing number of officer deaths in 2017, up 18 percent from this time last year.
A total of 67 officers have died so far this year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. It found there were 57 officer deaths between January 1 and July 5, 2016. In addition, gun-related deaths have risen by 9 percent, from 22 to 24 for 2017, the researchers say.
The figures suggest a grim trend; 2016 was the deadliest year for police in 5 years. A total of 135 officers died last year.
New York Police Department Officer Miosotis Familia was “assassinated” during an “unprovoked attack,” according to NYPD commissioner James O’Neill. Familia was sitting in her marked vehicle early Wednesday when a man shot at her through the window.
Randy Sutton, national spokesman for Blue Lives Matter and a retired Las Vegas police lieutenant, said that Familia’s killing is a symptom of the growing violence against law enforcement. (Read more from “Police Officer Deaths on Duty Have Jumped Nearly 20 Percent in 2017” HERE)
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