Table 38
Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed with Firearms While Wearing Body Armor
Point of Entry for Fatal Torso Wounds, 2008–2017
| Point of entry | Total | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of victim officers killed with firearms while wearing body armor and receiving fatal torso wounds | 93 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 8 |
| Entered between side panels of vest | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Entered through armhole or shoulder area of vest | 30 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Entered above vest (collarbone area, etc.) | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Entered below vest (abdominal or lower back area) | 15 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Penetrated through vest (round more powerful than vest's capabilities/specifications) | 21 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Penetrated through vest (body armor failure) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vest not penetrated (blunt force trauma) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Multiple points of entry1 | 4 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Not reported | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
- 1Beginning in 2011, a new option was added: "Multiple points of entry."
