How many police officers died in the line of duty in New York, U.S. in 2024?

David Robinson, New York State Team

A total of 40 law enforcement officers have now died while on duty this year, including 13 lost to gunfire, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website.

Of that death toll, five officers worked in New York, including an NYPD officer shot and killed in the line of duty in Queens nearly a month ago.

The officer, 31-year-old Jonathan Diller, was shot in the torso underneath his bullet-resistant vest during a traffic stop in Far Rockaway. Diller was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he later died.

Also last month, Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello of Genesee County Sheriff’s Office died while on special assignment at Batavia Downs. The 54-year-old deputy’s death was linked to him being allegedly assaulted by a casino patron.

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Firearms-related fatalities claimed the lives of 47 officers across the country in 2023, which represents a 25% decrease from the 63 officers killed by gunfire in 2022, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Excluding COVID-19, gunfire was the leading cause of death for officers nationally in both years, claiming a total of 110 lives. It was followed by automobile crashes, which killed 56 officers during that span, the data show.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: How many police officers died in the line of duty in NY, U.S. in 2024?