Shaun King: 71% of police killings this year have been by white men

[gollygee]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-cops-killed-white-men-conservatives-silent-article-1.2632965

Would it shock you to learn that the number of police who've been shot and killed in 2016 is up an astounding 59% from where it was this same date last year? Seventeen police officers have already been shot and killed in 2016, by mid-May. Only 10 had suffered that fate by May 10th, 2015.

The drastic increase shocked the hell out of me. While I primarily track, study and report the number of people killed by police, I still follow police fatalities closely. Contrary to popular belief, despising police brutality does not mean I despise police officers. I appreciate all public servants and have both a police officer and a longtime Secret Service member in my family. They are amazing, kind-hearted men who do great work. I also despise gun violence and loathe every single fatality suffered because of it.

Something's afoot, though, on why we're not hearing much about this shocking increase in the number of officers who've been shot and killed so far in 2016. Sadly, I think I have the answer.

Seventy-one percent of police who've been shot and killed this year weren't murdered by black men with cornrows or hoodies. They weren't gunned down by Latino gang members in low-rider drive-bys. Those stereotypes would be too convenient. Instead, 71% of police who've been shot and killed so far in 2016 have been killed by good old-fashioned white men.

[Travis_0004]

1. White make up 77% of the US

So the statistic is not surprising. One would naturally expect it to be around 77%, so the fact that its 6% lower than expected is about what one would expect. Also, I would assume most cops are white.

And since that story is from May, I'm guessing the stats have changed a bit.

[LisaL]

2. Well, exactly.

Statistically, the number isn't surprising.
Not sure why anyone would try to claim otherwise.

[MrScorpio]

3. Except that cops are categorically biased against black men

To the point where they will shoot both armed and unarmed black men sooner and at a higher rate than they shoot armed and unarmed white men.

I'm on my iPod now, so I can't post the source material, but I'm sure that you can find that data readily.

[Travis_0004]

4. I think the more accurate number is about 54%, if you update the stats from May.