Police Killings in the U.S.: Who Is Most Affected by Police Violence
Police encounters can escalate quickly, and when they do, the consequences are often permanent. Across the United States, hundreds of people are killed by police each year, raising ongoing questions about how force is used, who is most affected, and whether these incidents are evenly distributed.
Using data from Mapping Police Violence and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Joslyn Law Firm team put together an examination of police killings recorded between Jan. 1 and March 19, 2026, in order to get a clearer picture of who’s been affected by police violence the most.
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2026’s Trend Paints a Grim Picture
Between Jan. 1 and March 19, 2026, 270 people were killed by police. That amounts to roughly 3.5 deaths per day over a 78-day period.
These incidents are not rare or isolated. Only three days during this timeframe passed without a reported killing.
At the current pace, the total number of police killings in 2026 could exceed 1,260 by the end of the year. That projection places this year on track to match or surpass recent annual totals.
Where Rates of Killings by Police Are Highest
Looking at raw numbers alone can be misleading. Larger states will almost always report more total incidents simply because they have more people. Per-capita rates provide a clearer picture by showing how often these incidents occur relative to population size.
The highest rates were recorded in:
- New Mexico: 4.70 per 1 million residents
- Washington, D.C.: 2.88 per 1 million residents
- Arizona: 2.23 per 1 million residents
- Montana: 1.75 per 1 million residents
- Nevada: 1.52 per 1 million residents
- Alaska: 1.36 per 1 million residents
- Kentucky: 1.30 per 1 million residents
- North Dakota: 1.25 per 1 million residents
- Washington: 1.25 per 1 million residents
- Georgia: 1.15 per 1 million residents
These figures show that higher rates are not limited to any one region. In some cases, smaller states rank near the top because even a modest number of incidents results in a higher rate per resident.
Where Total Numbers of Police Killings Are Highest
Total numbers still matter. They reflect the overall scale of the issue and where the greatest number of lives are being lost. The highest totals so far in 2026 were:
- California: 26
- Texas: 25
- Florida: 24
- Arizona: 17
- Georgia: 13
Other states, including New Mexico, Washington, and New York, each reported 10 killings during this period. Several additional states reported between four and eight incidents, while others reported only one or two.
Even in states with lower totals, these incidents continue to occur, reinforcing that police killings are a nationwide issue rather than one limited to a handful of locations.
Demographic Disparities in Killings by Police
The data also highlights differences in how police violence affects different groups.
By total count, the largest number of individuals killed were identified as white (93). Black (61) and Hispanic (46) individuals make up a significant share of the remaining cases, along with 63 cases where race was not recorded. Smaller totals were reported for Asian (4), Native American (2), and Native Hawaiian (1) individuals.
However, population-adjusted rates tell a different story.
When measured per 1 million residents, the highest rates were:
- Native Hawaiian: 1.48
- Black: 1.31
- Native American: 0.82
- Hispanic: 0.68
- White: 0.37
- Asian: 0.18
These differences show that certain groups face a higher likelihood of being affected, even when their total numbers are smaller. Note, however, that per-capita figures for smaller populations (such as Native Hawaiians in this data) can be easily skewed and should be interpreted with caution.
Circumstances Surrounding Police Violence
The data also provides insight into how these encounters unfold, including whether individuals were reported as armed and how their deaths occurred.
In terms of reported armed status:
- 198 individuals were listed as allegedly armed
- 56 were unarmed
- 8 cases involved a vehicle that could have been used as a weapon
- 8 were unclear
The most common reported causes of death were:
- Gunshot: 215
- Vehicle-related: 21
- Gunshot combined with Taser: 19
- Physical restraint: 4
These figures rely on available reporting and may not fully capture the context of each encounter. However, they provide a general picture of how force is most often applied.
2026 vs. 2025: Is This Year Better or Worse?
From Jan. 1 to March 19, 2025, there were 289 police killings recorded, compared to 270 over the same period in 2026. This represents a decrease of approximately 6.6%.
However, the pace of police killings in 2026 so far is much higher than it was overall in 2025.
If the average number of killings per day recorded so far in 2026 stays consistent through the end of the year, the total number of killings could still exceed 2025’s full-year total of 1,197.
Why This Data Matters
Each of these figures represents a life lost and a set of circumstances that may have escalated in a matter of moments. While the data highlights broader patterns, it also reflects the reality that police encounters can quickly become unpredictable, especially in situations involving alleged weapons, suspected drug activity, or other high-pressure conditions.
Many of these incidents begin with underlying allegations such as drug possession or weapons-related charges, and the stakes can rise quickly depending on how an encounter unfolds.
Understanding how often these situations occur — and how serious the outcomes can be — underscores the importance of being informed and prepared. To learn more about your rights or to speak with a defense attorney about a specific situation, contact a lawyer at our firm today.
Sources:
- https://mappingpoliceviolence.us/
- https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html
- https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-national-detail.html
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This page was last updated by Brian Joslyn
