Journalists at the Washington Post and Guardian have recently conducted extensive studies of police shootings in the United States. The story is reported by Mother Jones here. A summary of their findings:
1. Police killed twice as many suspects as FBI figures indicated — about 2.5 per day on average.
2. The majority were armed with guns, knives, or other “lethal objects.”
3. Fewer than 1% of the cops were criminally charged.
4. Cops were more likely to kill racial minorities.
5. A one-fourth of the victims were mentally ill.
6. Nearly 99% were male.
7. A majority were between ages 25 and 44.
8. About 6% were killed by tasers.
9. A handful of police departments — fewer than 2% — accounted for nearly all of the country’s police killings.
10. About 1 of every 13 gun deaths in the U.S. results from people being shot by cops.