Figures (and Perhaps some Facts) on Police Killing of Civilians in the United States, 1965–1969

Official reports for a 20‐year period show that the police killed about five civilians for every officer killed. A study of newspaper reports from 1965–1969 shows that about half of the police and of their victims were young male minorities in urban areas. About a third of the civilians killed were committing misdemeanors when stopped; they tended to have weapons and to use them. The police who killed civilians tended to be on duty, in uniform, and reported that they killed the civilians to defend themselves or to prevent escape.