TACTICS
OIS Statistics
The threat is often not in front of you. 2023 LEOKA data reveals critical lessons about where officers are actually shot.
The 2023 LEOKA statistics suggest that officers are frequently shot by suspects they cannot directly see. The data reinforces a critical tactical lesson: the greatest threat is often concealed behind barriers rather than standing openly in front of officers.
72%
of officers shot were engaged from adjacent spaces — not the same room as the suspect
28%
of officers were occupying the same space as the offender when shot
35%
of offenders fired through a door
17%
of offenders fired through walls or other barriers
90%
of fatal officer gunshot wounds involved the head or neck region
75%
of mistake-of-fact shootings occurred in low-light conditions
Mistake-of-Fact Shootings
Two statistics stand out: 75% of mistake-of-fact shootings occurred in low-light conditions, and 51% involved furtive or sudden movements. These findings emphasize the importance of threat identification, illumination tools, communication, and decision-making under stress.
For trainers, this reinforces the need for realistic scenario-based training that incorporates:
- →Low-light environments
- →Ambiguous threats
- →Human behavior under stress
- →Force decision-making under uncertainty