Nearly Half of U.S. Police Killings Follow Non-Violent Incidents

The International Day Against Police Brutality, observed on March 15, aims to draw attention to the use of excessive force by law enforcement. In the United States, data compiled by Mapping Police Violence in the Police Violence Report 2025 shows that more than 1,200 people were killed by police in 2025, roughly one every seven hours. With over 30 fatal police shootings per 10 million inhabitants documented annually, the U.S. records far higher rates than other comparable high‑income countries.

While violent crime accounts for the largest share (27 percent) of incidents leading to fatal police encounters, the data suggests that many killings occur in situations that are not initially violent. In total, 47 percent of police killings followed incidents involving violent crime, other crimes against people or a person reportedly armed with a weapon. However, nearly as many cases, 45 percent, stemmed from non‑violent situations. These include mental health or welfare checks (10 percent), traffic stops (9 percent), domestic disturbances (7 percent) and other non‑violent offenses (19 percent). In another 7 percent of cases, the initial circumstances were unknown.