By Amanda Lien
WASHINGTON — The FBI has released the latest statistics on officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2018.
According to the report, 89 officers were killed last year. Of those 89 deaths, 48 were felonious acts and 41 were accidental.
The number of officers killed as a result of criminal acts decreased from the previous year with seven less killed in 2019 than the 55 killed in 2018. Out of the 48 officers, 45 were male and three were female.
Out of those deaths, forty-four officers were slain by a firearm. A majority of deaths were reported in the South with 27 officers killed.
The average age for both felonious and accidental LODDs was 40.
Accidental deaths also decreased from last year, down by nine from 50 in 2018. Out of the 41 officers, 38 were male and three were female.
Nineteen officers died as a result of a motor vehicle crash. Of those, 18 died while operating a car, SUV, truck or van. Of the 18 officers killed, nine were wearing seatbelts and six were not.
Twenty-two of the accidental deaths occurred in the South.
The FBI released the LODD data this week in an effort to provide a more timely release to the public, according to the report. The complete report, which will present data of officers assaulted in the line of duty in 2019, will be available later this year.