September 2016 saw the line of duty deaths of 15 law enforcement officers across the nation. Of those 15 deaths, five were motor vehicle accidents (two motorcycle, three automobile), three were the result of felonious gunfire, two officers were struck by vehicles, two died of heart attacks, one was the result of vehicular assault, one officer was stabbed, and one drowned. The wide variety of causes of death in September just illustrates the many threats that law enforcement officers face each day.
The total number of line of duty deaths in 2016 has risen to 94, a 5% DECREASE compared to this time in 2015. There have been 6 months in 2016 with 10 or more line of duty deaths, and 4 of the last 6 months have had 10 more more LODDs. Auto-related deaths, at 39, are up 5% and gunfire deaths, at 40, are up 43% over this time last year.
The Officer Down Memorial Page extends our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and agencies who lost a loved one in September 2016. Please take a moment to read their memorials and Remember the Fallen:
Alamogordo Police Department, NM
Austin Police Department, TX
Lieutenant Waldemar Rivera-Santiago
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR
Eastland County Sheriff's Office, TX
Johnson County Sheriff's Office, KS
Shelby Police Department, NC
McCrory Police Department, AR
Cook County Sheriff's Police Department, IL
Ohio State Highway Patrol, OH
Alabama Department of Corrections, AL
Detroit Police Department, MI
Ulster County Sheriff's Department, NY
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR
Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, NC
Gregg County Sheriff's Office, TX
