A record number of law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2021, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund Wednesday, with most losing their lives to COVID-19.
An NYPD officer arrives for the funeral service of fallen NYPD Detective.
"This year’s statistics demonstrate that America’s front-line law enforcement officers continue to battle the deadly effects of the Covid-19 pandemic nationwide," the report said. “Law enforcement officers nationwide continue to be exposed to the Covid-19 virus in the course of their daily assignments; therefore, the number of line-of-duty deaths is sadly ever-increasing."
Officers like Lubbock County, Texas, Sheriff's Office Sgt. Joshua Bartlett were among the 62 officers killed by guns in 2021.Sergeant Josh Bartlett was shot and killed during a barricade at a home in the 1100 block of 10th Street in Levelland, Texas, July 15, 2021.According to the NODEM page, the subject returned home after the incident and began walking around his neighborhood with a gun. When the SWAT team and Bartlett showed up, the suspect allegedly opened fire after barricading himself in his house, killing Bartlett, a military veteran.
The increase in officers killed by a gun increased by 36% from 2020. Handguns were the leading cause of death in the firearm category – with eight in October, making it the deadliest month in 2021.