Breaking News
Death Toll Rises As Our Police Continue To Be Under Attack;We Must Act To Protect Them
- San Antonio Detective Benjamin Marconi was the 60th officer shot to death this year.
- An ambush-style attack does not necessarily involve someone lying in wait for police officers; it's any shooting designed to catch police off guard and put them at a disadvantage.
- White men are responsible for most police slayings, and the majority of people shot and killed by police are white.
A total of 60 law enforcement officers have died in firearms-related incidents in 2016, marking a 67 percent increase since 2015, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported.
Citing a preliminary report from January 1 through November 23, the organization said that Texas has seen the most fatalities this year with 18. So far, 130 officers have died nationwide.
The worst single attack was in July, when a black military veteran killed five white officers at a protest in Dallas — the deadliest day for American law enforcement since Sept. 11, 2001. Ten days later, a former Marine killed three Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police officers.
San Antonio Detective Benjamin Marconi was the 60th officer shot to death this year, compared with 41 in all of 2015, and the 20th to die in an ambush-style attack, compared with eight last year, Craig W. Floyd, president of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, said.
An ambush-style attack does not necessarily involve someone lying in wait for police officers; it's any shooting designed to catch police off guard and put them at a disadvantage, Floyd said.
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“There usually is an element of surprise and concealment involved,” he said, and it's unprovoked.
Police have been killed while writing reports, like Marconi was, or eating in restaurants. They've responded to 911 calls, only to have people shoot them as they get out of their cars. And in the Dallas shooting, they were targeted by someone in a building.
“In all the cases, the officers were essentially assassinated before they had any contact with the suspect or placed that suspect in jeopardy,” said Nick Breul, the Memorial Fund's director of officer safety and wellness.
This year's targeted killings are the most since 1995, Floyd said. In fact, Marconi's was the fourth targeted slaying of an officer this month: On Nov. 2, two Iowa officers were killed in separate but related attacks. And on Nov. 10, a Pennsylvania officer was targeted as he responded to a domestic disturbance.
The attacks on police in Dallas and Baton Rouge came amid protests over the shootings of black men by white officers, and were carried out by black gunmen — but race is not always a motivating factor, Floyd said.
In fact, he said, white men are responsible for most police slayings, and the majority of people shot and killed by police are white.
Some officers have been killed by people who identify with the so-called sovereign citizen movement, whose adherents believe they're immune to most state and federal laws, including paying taxes and getting driver's licenses. Gavin Long, the Baton Rouge shooter, had filed documents last year declaring himself sovereign.
The man who shot and killed the two Iowa officers earlier this month as they sat in their patrol cars had a history of contacts with police, including a recent confrontation with officers at a high school football game.
Others have been mentally ill.
“So much dialogue has centered around race relations, but there is a hatred in this country right now that's just gotten out of control,” Floyd said. “There is a lack of respect for government in general, and the most visible and vulnerable symbol of government in America is patrolling our streets in marked cars.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report
38 Comments
Going to come a day when the Cops are just
going to refuse to respond to to some types of
calls. Then all hell is going to hit the fan.
We need to come together as a nation and protect our men and women in the blue uniform because they put their neck on the line every day for us !!! what’s going on lately is just a tragedy and we need to help them out
The “Thin Blue Line” are all that protect us from the Rabid Dogs of society. If they are under attack, then we all are under attack. WTP must watch out for our Sheepdogs in uniform as they must watch out for the Sheep. Some of the Sheep need to be Bull Rams and take the battle to the enemy.
We want to support our “Men In Blue” but don’t forget those who serve – EMS, FD, and other public service workers. And DON”T forget those who are unseen – the wives, children and families of those who go into the public to serve and protect. No one can know the dread those folks go through every day that a loved one leaves home to go to work. All they can do is hope and pray that their loved one will come home at the end of work time. That has to be a hard way to have to live.
The police are here to protect all people in our country. They will not be able to protect us if we do not support them.
Laws need to be in place for automatic capital punishment for those who commit these crimes. It only makes common sense.
Our divider in chief and his allies such as al sharpton plus billionaire george soros and his comrade hillary Benghazi clinton have done everything in their power to create terrible racial violence in our country. Plus the liars in the corporate media have also “added fuel to the fire.” We, the people, have to work with the police department to help protect our friends in the police departments.
OUR POLICE DESERVE BETTER AND WE SHOULD DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT THEM WHILE THEY ARE PROTECTING US..
Because I am one of those officers. Ambushed 07/23/1990. If you don’t see it coming, it’s hard to garden against.
They are here to protect and serve the community they are assigned to serve in
first we need to figure out if it’s gang related, second we need to target all gangs and then muslims , we do have home grown muslim terrorist, then we need to find out who in our government is selling them the weapons they use, they are not using guns they bought from your local neighborhood gun store.We need to prosecute the people in our government that Obama wont prosecute , because he appointed them in that office, Like Eric Holder , he is responsible for selling guns Mexican gangs.A border agent got killed by one. What happened to Eric Holder. NOTHING
They risk everything for us!
Law Enforcement Officers, along with our Military, are the real heroes. What makes the Police Officer’s job, at times, most dangerous, is the left wing, liberal jack asses we now are having to deal with in this country in the last 8 years. When a Police Officer feels that his life is at stake and he employs his weapon, all of a sudden the perpetrator, according to said jack asses, is the poor unfortunate victim of a misfortunate childhood or some other totally ridiculous circumstance and the Police Officer is nothing but a bully!
Please help save our police officers! Since the BLM movement started with Obama turning members against police officers we need to have a national anonymous tip line with lots of reward$$$ for turning in anyone talking about shooting a police officer. Hopefully this can prevent more murders.
Officers doing their duty should not be in jeopardy every time they answer a call.
Becaus they are their to protect us we should protect them not KILL THEM
Blue lives matter, except for personal protection they are all we have and we need them.
These Officers put their lives on the line everyday to protect us. We also ned to protect them
A nation without laws falls , we need to stop the liberal laws and enforce the death penalty, America has spent many years under liberal rule of law, there has been to much free money , to much welfare , lack of respect for basic laws , it’s time that America as painful as it will be to take Back it’s rights as a nation as one and defend it laws .
If our men and women in blue are attacked over and over, soon they won’t respond when we are in trouble. Then you are looking at total chaos. They don’t get paid enough to risk their lives everyday to protect us. I don’t know the answer except to place this horrible situation in God’s hands and pray that the perps come to their senses and realize this. God bless our law enforcement all across the country
This is a outrage. I want to see there kickers of our law enforcement officers in jail.
Well the current far left low information group’s like (Black Lives matter). A totally I’ll informed group. Most did not vote! Most don’t know 52% of all homicide occurred by Black shooting Blacks. 60% robbery committed by young un informed Blacks and they make up only 4% of the population. Wow..With those numbers they will continue to end up on the other side of a bullet! Not good for sure! The current administration is doing them a real injustices. Shame on the fake so called brilliant leadership!! Time too Wake up!
Our police officers are on the streets every day ptotecting us. They are what stands between us and total anarchy. The senseless acts of targeting police must stop. We need to back our officers in any way possible.
Only a coward hides in the shadows, waiting to assassinate an officer of the law.
They wear the uniform to protect us thus making them a target. Notice federal police normally dress in regular day wear. They don’t seem to be a regular target.
i used to be a policeman before I began flying for Northeast Airlines and Delta Airlines
Police risk their lives trying to protect the lives of both innocent and criminals.
They should arrest people in riots especially the ones who cover their faces.
Police should always have 2 officers together if a person resists the orders of the officer call for backup shoot only when necessary to save a life.
We must stop the senseless murders of our Police Officers.
The violence must stop. Obama is aiding these criminals.
They are hired to protect us. When they have a problem, we have to protect them.
We need the police to keep us safe.
There are too many killers who grew up without fathers, so they never learned the discipline required to be a good citizen. the police are necessary to protect the law abiding citizens of this nation.
When citizens can stoop to the act of blatantly shooting and killing Police Officers, what do you think would happens if a civilian tried to stand up against them. Most civilians don’t have a prayer. If just astounds me how difficult it is for a person that is trained or will train when necessary, to be able to be granted a CCW. We need more Police Officers and also trained civilians armed.
This is all obama’s fault. He could stand up and tell these punks to knock this crap off!
My father was a police officer for 45 years and Iglad hed not alive to see this he believed in the protect and to serve that
Ike many officers is their mission to be singled out and murdered by the people you serve is idiotic rhetoric driven hate by the most racist divisive president evet
Our police officers work and die protecting us. We should do all we can to help them. PL
They are the thin blue line that is keeping the peace. When they are not allowed to enforce the law anarchy will reign supreme and force the peaceful citizens to deal with the problem. This will not be a pretty picture when it occurs.
The “Black Lives Matter” anti-police movement
has been responsible for many of these killings. I am so sorry that they are allowed to cause so much chaos They are paid to cause
this this chaos by the billionaire, George Soros
Wwho hates America and is an advocate of the new world order.
The “Black Lives Matter” anti-police movement
has been responsible for many of these killings. I am so sorry that they are allowed to cause so much chaos They are paid to cause
this this chaos by the billionaire, George Soros
Wwho hates America and is an advocate of the new world order.