Research Reveals Police Shoot Victims More Frequently Than Civilians in Homicides

A comprehensive analysis utilizing data from the US National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) has uncovered that victims shot by police are often hit multiple times, considerably more than those assaulted by civilians. Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the study highlights demographic disparities and regional differences in police-related homicides. Specifically, individuals aged 25 to 44, Black populations, and residents outside the Northeastern US are disproportionately affected.

Lead researcher Vageesh Jain from Harvard emphasized that the US's homicide rates involving police use of deadly force are significantly higher than in other high-income countries. He explained that examining the number of gunshot wounds provides a clearer picture of the lethality of police shootings, beyond whether a person was shot.

The study found that about 6% of firearm victims were shot by police, with the majority (80%) of these victims sustaining multiple gunshot wounds—averaging six, with a median of four. In contrast, victims shot by civilians were also often shot multiple times, but on average fewer wounds per victim.

Key findings include the following:

• The overall police firearm homicide rate is 2.51 per million people.
• Rates are highest among 25–34-year-olds and lowest among those over 55.
• Men are 26 times more likely to be fatally shot by police than women.
• Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations face more than double the homicide rate compared to white individuals.
• Victims in the Western US are four times more likely to be shot by police than those in the Northeast.
• Weapon use was noted in 76% of incidents, with some variation across racial groups.

The number of gunshot wounds per victim varied less than the homicide rates across different groups, but regional and demographic differences in the number of wounds suggest variations in police response and lethality. Co-author David Hemenway pointed out that victims shot by police generally have a higher number of wounds, indicating potentially more aggressive use of firearms.

Dr. Jain pointed out the persistent public health challenge posed by police violence in the US, noting that over 1,000 civilians are killed by police annually, with limited accountability in terms of convictions. The research stresses the importance of understanding the factors behind the high number of shots fired and promotes efforts to address systemic inequities. The study calls for further investigations into police practices and their justification, and how these impact community trust and safety.

More details can be found in the full study: Firearm Homicides by Police in the United States: Who is Shot and How Many Times?, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2025.