Shootings by LAPD officers, and the violence they face, are up

Shootings by Los Angeles police officers have increased this year compared to the same time frame for 2024, authorities say, as law enforcement faces increasing violence.

There were 43 shootings by officers in 2025 through Monday, Dec. 8, with 33 suspects struck by gunfire, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, and 26 last year for the comparable period.

The 2025 shootings included 18 with suspects armed with firearms, up from 12 in 2024, the department said. Officers were fired upon 12 times this year, compared with seven in 2024.

Suspects in nine shootings had imitation or replica guns, compared with four last year.

Suspects had knives or other edged weapons 10 of the times in 2025, up from six in 2024.

“A preliminary analysis into the (officer-shooting) increase shows the encounters our officers are facing this year are more violent and more dangerous,” the department said in a statement.

Six suspects have been charged this year with attempted murder of a police officer, up from four last year. Fifteen suspects have been charged with assault with a deadly weapon on an officer; there were seven such filings last year through Dec. 8.

Each shooting by an officer undergoes multiple layers of review, including internal evaluations and independent oversight, to ensure compliance with the law and department policy, police said.

Officers are trained to prioritize de-escalation, make sound tactical decisions, and safely resolve critical incidents. They are instructed to use all available options when confronting violent individuals and can request specialized assistance, including mental-health professionals.

The LAPD provides preliminary information on each officer-involved shooting at lapdonline.org and on its YouTube channel, @LAPDHQ, via “Critical Incident Community Briefings.”

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