Even when suspects are unarmed and not attacking anyone, officers are more likely to shoot Black, Native and Latinx people than white people — a grim reality receiving increasing attention. However, police also are much more likely to shoot unarmed, nonattacking young people than older people — a fact receiving little attention.
That’s the conclusion that emerges from our analysis of the Washington Post’s tabulation, considered the country’s most complete, of shootings of Americans by law enforcement officers in the six-year period from Jan. 1, 2015, through Jan. 13, 2021.
Our analysis of these tragic numbers confirms well-known findings that police are two to three times more likely to shoot Native and Black suspects. They are also 20% more likely to shoot Latinx suspects than white suspects.
Mike Males
In 183 of the 5,317 fatal shootings by police in the last six years for which the suspect’s threat status was reported, officers described the suspect as unarmed and not attacking anyone. These shootings represent only a small fraction of total police shootings, but they include killings like those of Breonna Taylor, Walter Scott and Spencer McCain that drew widespread protests. (The Post only includes shootings and therefore omits other police killings, such as those of George Floyd and Eric Garner.)
We relied on police perceptions as reported in the Post’s tabulation of what constitutes a “weapon” and an “attack,” which presents these killings in a light most favorable to officers. Our analysis excludes all items listed by police as “weapons,” including not just guns and knives, but toy guns, an air conditioner, stapler and wasp spray and suspects merely claiming to be armed.
When police describe the suspect as unarmed and not attacking anyone, African Americans are 3.6 times more likely and Latinx and Native suspects twice as likely, to be shot and killed by police as similarly unarmed, nonattacking white suspects.
A closer look at these statistics reveals another disturbing fact: Young suspects are much more likely than older suspects to be killed by police even when unarmed and not attacking officers or others. Age is just as significant a predictor of risk as race. Unarmed, non attacking teenagers are nearly five times more likely and suspects in their 20s three times more likely to be shot to death by officers than similarly non attacking middle-aged suspects.
Of suspects under age 20 shot to death, 7.3% were described by police as unarmed and posing no attack threat, compared to just 1.5% of fatally shot suspects age 50 and older. The odds of being shot by police even when perceived as harmless fall sharply as the age of the suspect increases.
For more information on Youth Gun Violence Prevention, go to
► JJIE Resource Hub | Youth Gun Violence Prevention
An unarmed, non attacking white teenager is eight times more likely and a similarly non attacking Latinx teenager is 10 times more likely to be shot by police than a similarly non attacking member of their respective races age 50 or older. However, unarmed, non attacking Black suspects age 50 and older are just as likely to be shot than similarly unarmed, non attacking Black teenagers.
Why do police seem to fear Black people and young people more, with deadly consequences? Just as officers’ racialized fears and prejudices that African Americans are more dangerous may contribute to more police killings of Black suspects, pop-media experts and advocacy groups might skew public perceptions through inflammatory myths that denigrate young people with terms like “temporary sociopaths” and “super-predators.”
Advocates may rely on the faulty argument that all young people are innately crime-prone and impulsively violent in order to win reforms, such as banning adult-court trials of youth. However, expediently invoked “teenage brain” and “adolescent risk-taking” myths may carry real consequences as well.
The popular myth that teenagers’ “cognitive development” renders them innately irrational was prominently cited to defeat a 2020 proposition to let 17-year-olds vote in primary elections and to narrowly defeat a San Francisco measure extending the local voting age to 16. Politicians have advanced such myths to cover up their own bad decisions by blaming young people for the spread of coronavirus.
In fact, “adolescence” and its risks, benefits, behaviors and attitudes vary enormously due to race, advantage, family, community, culture, individuality, era, adult behaviors and numerous other contexts. Inflamed prejudices not only hinder progress and cost millions of young people basic rights, they may also have deadly consequences.
Mike Males is senior research fellow for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco. He is author of “Teenage Sex and Pregnancy: Modern Myths, Unsexy Realities.”
Well guess what. If black Americans (13% of the population) on the average commit 54 per cent of all murders – are they more dangerous or not? It has nothing to do with prejudice – it’s statistical data. Again, a black person is about 6 times more likely to kill someone. What are we even talking about? Stop dancing to the BLM tune for god’s sake.
50% of all murders being 13% of the population. Do that math NJ ow and you will see how bias, delusional and unintelligent you are. White people are the most violent race worldwide. They commit the most crimes and the most gruesome crimes. White people are the violent terrorist criminal thugs. There are many videos of police (not fearing officer safety) when a white man is 2 steps in front of him. They do nothing. Back men are killed because “they could’ve had a weapon.” White poeple commit more white on white crime than black people, white people kill back people more than the other way around, white people kill and they do it like it’s their job. White people own more guns and are armed and no one blinks an eye. Unarmed black men are being killed every 2 weeks or less (literally look it up) and it’s a pattern because it’s basically just black men specifically. These whot3 cops do it because ethey know they can get away with it without being charged and we have the statistics to prove it. You want to know why we say black lives matter? We say it becuase black lives have NEVER mattered in America ever to.this.day. Just so you know BLACK PEOPLE ARE MAD THAT WE HAVE TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER SO EXCUSE US!! You act like we say it to jerk off. Your a delusional white probably racist person who who would make up any excuse to justify the death of an unarmed black man. PEOPLE LIKE YOU NEED TO STOP PUTTING OUT FALSE STATISTICS BECAUSE THAT’S EXACTLY WHY DYLAN ROOF DUD WHAT HE DID. Black people are on the brink of genocide at this rate. Yet white people whine “white genocide” when you shot eachother damn near every day. Black people should be the last group of people labeled violent, thugs, criminals, and terrorists becuase y’all are so violent you might as well write it on your foreheads. White people started racism and they love it so much they don’t want to end it. Now go fix that high rate of white on white crime you like to ignore
*”50% of all murders being 13% of the population. Do that math NJ ow and you will see how bias, delusional and unintelligent you are.”*
What are you rambling about? The previous commenter highlights the fact that blacks commit far more violent crime than anyone else, also blacks are far more likely to resist arrest than whites, and your only response is get sarcastic with him. Are you okay in the head?
*”White people are the most violent race worldwide. They commit the most crimes and the most gruesome crimes. White people are the violent terrorist criminal thugs.”*
Oh, we’ve spotted an anti-white racist, because you’re wrong on all accounts. Not only are non-white countries, and non-white enclaves in white countries, host to superior numbers of criminal activity, but Muslims by far commit the most global terrorism.
*”There are many videos of police (not fearing officer safety) when a white man is 2 steps in front of him. They do nothing.”*
Yes, they’re not shot because they’re not trying to resist arrest, unlike the blacks.
*”Back men are killed because “they could’ve had a weapon.””*
No, this is more baseless assertions. Blacks are killed because they often pose a real threat to police and citizens. Especially with their proclivity to resisting arrest.
*”White poeple commit more white on white crime than black people,”*
Not per capita they don’t. In raw numbers, yes, but that’s because there are more white people than black people. Per capita, blacks kill more blacks – as evidenced by the 50% homicide rate.
*”white people kill back people more than the other way around,”*
No they don’t, now I know you’re lying. In regards to the altercations that take place between blacks and whites, blacks are perpetrators 85% of the time. So can you stop making nonsense up to suit your racist agenda?
*”white people kill and they do it like it’s their job.”*
More baseless assertions and projections that aren’t reflected in reality.
*”White people own more guns and are armed and no one blinks an eye.”*
Yes, owning guns is legal, you do realise that right? Moreover, the mainstream media is consistently throwing a temper tantrum at white America for owning a plethora of guns.
*”Unarmed black men are being killed every 2 weeks or less (literally look it up) and it’s a pattern because it’s basically just black men specifically.”*
Yes, that’s what happens when you commit more violent crime in addition to resisting arrest. You only have yourselves to blame.
*”These whot3 cops do it because ethey know they can get away with it without being charged and we have the statistics to prove it.”*
No you don’t. Not only do white cops get indicted when they are at fault for using unnecessary lethal force, but you do realise that black cops are far more likely to shoot black suspects than white cops, right? In fact a study from 2019 found that as the number of black cops increases, so does the killing of black suspects.
*”You want to know why we say black lives matter?”*
Because you’re deluded, child-like and unable to engage in retrospective thinking?
*”We say it becuase black lives have NEVER mattered in America ever to.this.day.”*
Well that’s utter nonsense and historically inaccurate, it’s also not relevant to why Black Lives Matter formed – to expose and counter supposed racist cop violence.
*”Just so you know BLACK PEOPLE ARE MAD THAT WE HAVE TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER SO EXCUSE US!! You act like we say it to jerk off.”*
You do. Black people love to paint themselves as victims as that’s easier than taking responsibility for their actions.
*”Your a delusional white probably racist person who who would make up any excuse to justify the death of an unarmed black man.”*
Yeah, this is the usual go-to for a black: misspell (it’s *You’re); shriek in an overly-emotional manner; accuse any white person that disagrees with you of being a racist. And of course, you do all this without offering up a refutation.
*”PEOPLE LIKE YOU NEED TO STOP PUTTING OUT FALSE STATISTICS BECAUSE THAT’S EXACTLY WHY DYLAN ROOF DUD WHAT HE DID.”*
What false statistics? You haven’t proven those statistics are false – because they’re not. Also, Dylan Roof adhered to real statistics, that’s why he shot up that black church; he explains it in his manifesto. Furthermore, the only one who’s been putting out fake data is yourself.
*”Black people are on the brink of genocide at this rate.”*
No, you’re not. And you think the other person is delusional? Please show me the data where the black population is rapidly decreasing due to your mortality rates being above your birth rates.
*”Yet white people whine “white genocide” when you shot eachother damn near every day.”*
White people don’t shoot each other every day, you’re confusing white people with black people. Furthermore, white genocide refers to white people being systematically replaced within their own countries i.e. demographic decline. And with the constant advocacy for immigration, both legal and illegal, and the pervasive promotion of miscegenation, then it’s not exactly a wayward theory.
*”Black people should be the last group of people labeled violent, thugs, criminals, and terrorists becuase y’all are so violent you might as well write it on your foreheads.”*
This is more baseless projection and assertions. Black people are far more violent than any race. The problem is, blacks like you dismiss the stats as myth without explaining how, and then project what you’re doing onto white people – because you’re a racist.
*”White people started racism and they love it so much they don’t want to end it.”*
Another false assertion. Racism has been with humans since we evolved into differing races – every race has practiced it. But you’re only interested in white people practicing racism because you’re a racist.
*”Now go fix that high rate of white on white crime you like to ignore”*
It really isn’t that high, unlike the black-on-black crime that you like to ignore and dismiss. Now run along.
9 unarmed black men were shot by the police in 2019. Wanna guess how many whites boys were killed ??? 19.
Now that was a nice little outburst freedom speech and all but every statistic you put out there is false 90% of all black ppl getting killed are from other black ppl not from white ppl not even close. On the other side white ppl don’t commit nearly as much crime as black ppl not that it matters but I had to prove wrong your anecdotes
I appreciate the comments on my article. However, the ones citing homicide statistics embrace a fallacy common to juvenile justice discussion — the failure to recognize the implications of rare events. True, in 2019, Blacks accounted for 51%, and non-Hispanic Whites around 30%, of homicide arrests. But, given that homicide is a very rare event, what does that disparity actually mean when considering an individual encounter by race? Very little, it turns out. A given Black individual age 15 and older has odds of 0.99983 of NOT being a murderer, compared to 0.99998 for an individual White. There is no justification in homicide (or other) statistics for treating a Black individual differently than a White. Further, if we are going to consider “statistical disparities” when considering police response based on race, we should apply that logic to everyone. A White, middle-aged man is statistically the most likely to die from abusing illegal drugs, so should police haul every middle-aged White they encounter to the station for a drug test? Should police treat individuals from Mississippi (which had the nation’s highest murder rates for every race in 2019) more harshly than individuals from Maine (which had the lowest murder rate)? Every race and age group has troubling statistics in their own areas, but in practice, those disparities are only selectively cited to justify mistreatments and exclusions of ages and races that hold little power. In short, “statistical bigotry” is just bigotry with a spreadsheet.
Dear Mr. Males, may I ask what the racial demographic breakdown is of the 183 victims you cite in this article?
Dear Mr. Males,
Just another comment regarding your reply to some of the responses to your article, more precisely your statement:
“True, in 2019, Blacks accounted for 51%, and non-Hispanic Whites around 30%, of homicide arrests. But, given that homicide is a very rare event, what does that disparity actually mean when considering an individual encounter by race? Very little, it turns out.”
Does this not bring into disrepute the conclusions you draw from your study, namely that if homicide is such a very rare event, then fatal shootings by police of suspects described as “unarmed and not attacking anyone” are in turn even rarer events?
53% of arrests, arrests aren’t all correct (that applies to all races)