Why are more police officers being killed?
Law enforcement panel discusses the statistics on 'Fox & Friends First.'
Since the start of 2018, at least 88 law enforcement officers across the U.S. have died while on duty — with 47 of those deaths caused by gunfire.
Roughly 135 cops died in 2016, making it the deadliest year for police officers in at least five years, Fox News found. While there were fewer deaths in 2017, the numbers weren’t much better: a total of 129 officers died with 46 of those caused by gunfire.
Officer Ronil Singh
Officer Ronil Singh had been employed with the Newman Police Department since 2011. (Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department)
Officer Ronil Singh with the Newman Police Department in California was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Dec. 26.
Singh reported initiating a traffic stop in Newman, which is located about 80 miles east of San Jose, shortly before 1 a.m. A few minutes after responding, he called out "shots fired" over the radio.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, where Singh was found with gunshot wounds.
The suspect had already fled the scene before additional officers arrived.
The officer, who served with the police department since 2011, was pronounced dead after he was transported to a local hospital. He was 33 years old.
"Our Newman Police family is devastated by the loss of Ronil," Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said in a statement following the incident.
Officers Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo
Chicago Officers Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo were killed on Dec. 17 after they were struck by a train. (Facebook)
Chicago police Officers Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo were killed on Dec. 17 after they were hit by a train while conducting surveillance on the city’s far South Side. The officers were chasing a suspect on foot after reports of gunshots in the area, officials said.
Gary, 31, had been with the force for 18 months; Marmolejo had spent 2 1/2 years with the department. Both men left behind young children.
"There are no words that can express the grief, the sense of loss," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "It just knocks you back on your heels."
Officer Jason Quick
Officer Jason Quick was killed on Dec. 15. (Lumberton Police Department)
Lumberton police Officer Jason Quick wasn’t supposed to work on Dec. 15. But when another officer wasn’t able to come to come in, Quick decided to abandon his day off so as not to "leave those guys shorthanded," said John Scott, a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper.
Quick, 31, responded to a car accident on Dec. 15 and was fatally struck by a vehicle, The Robesonian reported.
"I just remember how humble he was," fellow Officer William Cummings told the newspaper. "He was very sincere about his actions, his thoughts, his words with people, how he wanted to live his life for his kids and wife."
"He never expected anyone to say thank you for anything he did because it was part of his job," he added. "He was a simple man with high standards."
Sgt. Steve Hardin, his supervisor, said Quick "had a desire to protect people."
Aside from his children, Quick, a former volunteer firefighter, is survived by his wife.
Officer Edgar Isidro Flores
DeKalb County police Officer Edgar Isidro Flores was gunned down after a traffic stop and foot chase east of Atlanta on Dec. 13. (Dekalb County Police Department via AP)
DeKalb County police Officer Edgar Isidro Flores, 24, graduated from the police academy just last year. On Dec. 13, Flores was fatally shot by a suspect who had allegedly fled a traffic stop.
"I am very proud of the men and women of the police department. They responded to the scene, were able to track the suspect, they did their job," DeKalb County Police Chief James Conroy told WSB-TV.
"We are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice. Our prayers are with those who mourn," Gov.-elect Brian Kemp said in a tweet.
He is the fifth Georgia officer killed in the line of duty this year.
Officer Benton Bertram
Officer Benton Bertram was killed on Dec. 12 during a pursuit. (Charlestown Police Department)
Charlestown police Officer Benton Bertram was killed on Dec. 12 while in a high-speed pursuit of a suspect.
Bertram, 33, was killed after his vehicle left the road and struck a tree. He had been with the Indiana police department for nine years and worked in its K-9 division. Family members told WDRB-TV that he "lived for his dogs" and was the "biggest dog lover ever."
"He would do anything for anybody," his uncle, Mark Bertram, told WDRB, adding the words "dignity" and "honor" best describe the fallen officer.
"He was doing his job, and he would give it all," Mark Bertram added.
Bertram made such an impact on his community that a woman he once ticketed for a broken headlight made sure to leave work to pay her respects – even though she had only met him that one time.
"I was driving with a headlight out, and he pulled me over and asked me if I knew I had a headlight out. He gave me my ticket and just told me to get it done as soon as I could," Barbie Meredith said, adding she was impressed by his professionalism.
Officer Jermaine Brown
Officer Jermaine Brown was killed on Dec. 12 in an ATV accident while investigating a complaint. (Miami Dade Police Department)
Miami Dade police Officer Jermaine Brown was fatally injured on Dec. 12 while conducting an enforcement detail, WFOR-TV reported. He had been operating an ATV vehicle while investigating a complaint of illegal activity near a canal bank when he was killed.
"Everybody who he worked with said he was a cop’s cop," said Miami-Dade P.B.A. President Steadman Stahl. "He was always dependable. He always had a smile on his face. He worked with different units. He was very intertwined with the community. Everyone knew you could count on him. He was always looking out for the little guy."
Brown is survived by his three children and wife, who is a sergeant, according to WFOR.
Sergeant Matthew Moreno
Sgt. Matthew Moreno was among three killed in a car accident while officers were responding to an incident. (Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office)
Sgt. Matthew Moreno, 37, was killed on Dec. 12 after during a car accident as he was responding to a call.
Deputies in two patrol cars were responding to a domestic incident when they were involved in a crash with a civilian vehicle, according to Colorado State Patrol (CSP).
Aside from Moreno, 23-year-old Taelor Valdez and 1-year-old Ezekiel Valdez were also killed in the accident, according to KOAA-TV.
A five-year veteran of the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office, Moreno left behind two daughters and a stepson, CSP said.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Chase White
Deputy U.S. Marshal Chase White was fatally shot while serving an arrest warrant. (United States Marshals Service)
Deputy U.S. Marshal Chase White, 41, was fatally shot on Nov. 29 while serving an arrest warrant in Tucson, Arizona.
White was reportedly serving a warrant to a suspect accused of stalking a law enforcement officer when the suspect opened fire.
White, an Air Force veteran, had been with the U.S. Marshals since 2015. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Still a member of the Air Force Reserve, he was scheduled to leave for deployment shortly after the shooting.
Officer Hunter Edwards
Officer Hunter Edwards was killed in a car accident on Nov. 24. (Winchester Police Department)
Winchester police Officer Hunter Edwards was killed on Nov. 24 in a car accident after he was rushing to help other officers, according to WRC-TV.
Edwards, 30, majored in criminal justice as a college student, certain his career path would be in law enforcement, Anne-Berry Wade, his mother, said. His father, too, used to work in law enforcement.
Two months before his death, Edwards married Tara Edwards, who had a son, WRC reported.
"He was just a good man, a good person," Tara Edwards said. "He loved what he did."
Deputy Antonio ‘Tony’ Hinostroza
Deputy Antonio Hinostroza was killed on Nov. 23. (Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department)
On Nov. 23, Stanislaus County Sheriff's Deputy Antonio "Tony" Hinostroza was killed in a car accident while on duty, KTXL-TV reported. He was pursuing a suspected drunk driver when he lost control of his car, officials said.
Hinostroza was with the department for 19 years, Sheriff Adam Christianson told the news outlet.
"Tony has served this office with distinction," he said.
He is survived by his son and mother, according to KTXL.
Officer David Romrell
South Salt Lake Police Officer David Romrell, 31, was fatally and intentionally struck by a vehicle while responding to a burglary call in Utah on Saturday night, officials said. (Officer Down Memorial Page)
South Salt Lake Police Officer David Romrell, 31, was responding to a burglary call in Utah on Nov. 24 when he was intentionally struck by the vehicle of suspects who were fleeing the scene, according to officials.
Romrell "did everything right but was targeted by this vehicle as it fled," Chief Jack Carruth said.
A Marine veteran who had spent 11 months on the police force, Romrell was the first officer from the department to be killed in the line of duty. He leaves behind a wife and a 4-month-old baby.
Officer Samuel Jimenez
Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez was killed on Nov. 19 during an active shooter situation at Mercy Hospital in Illinois, the department confirmed. Three people were killed during the incident.
Jimenez, according to the police department, ran toward the gunfire he heard inside the hospital. He wasn't assigned to the particular emergency call, "but [he] went, because that's what we do," Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said at a news conference.
Jimenez, 28, was from the department's second district. He had joined the force in February 2017.
Officer Jared William Franks
Greensboro police Officer Jared William Franks was killed in an accident while in pursuit of a suspect. (Greensboro Police Department)
Greensboro police Officer Jared William Franks was killed on November 10 in a car accident while in pursuit of a suspect, the department said in a news release. The 24-year-old North Carolina officer had been with the department since June 2016.
After the crash, Franks and another officer were transported to a hospital, where Franks died. The other officer is expected to survive, according to the Greensboro Police Department.
Franks is the first Greensboro police officer to die on duty in 17 years, said Chief Wayne Scott, according to WBIR-TV.
The police department "has one less hero in its ranks," it said on Twitter.
Sgt. Ron Helus
Sgt. Ron Helus was among the dozen people killed when a gunman opened fire inside Borderline Bar & Grill in California. (Ventura County Sheriff's Office)
Sgt. Ron Helus was fatally shot when he responded to the mass shooting on Nov. 7 at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. He was among 12 killed at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a bar popular with college students.
Helus, a veteran of 29 years, and a patrolman entered the bar after hearing more gunshots. When they went through the front door, Helus was struck multiple times by gunfire. The patrolman rescued Helus from the line of gunfire and he was taken to a local hospital, where he died early Nov 8.
He is survived by a wife and son and reportedly had plans to retire next year.
"He knew the risks, but he knew, like we all do, why we serve," Sheriff Geoff Dean said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all. And tonight ... he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people."
Helus reportedly called his wife before responding to the shooting.
"He said, ‘hun I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call,’" Dean said.
The suspected shooter was found dead inside the bar, although it was unclear how he died, police said.
Deputy Sheriff Loren Vasquez
Waller County Deputy Sheriff Loren Vasquez, 23, was new to the police force. (Waller County Sheriff's Office)
Waller County Deputy Sheriff Loren Vasquez had only been with the department for five months – and on patrol as a single deputy unit for three days – before she was killed.
The 23-year-old was responding to a "high priority water rescue call" on October 31 when her vehicle went airborne and landed upside down in a ditch filled with water, according to the Waller County Sheriff’s Office in Texas.
Vasquez, who was also a volunteer firefighter, is survived by her parents and an older brother. She previously worked at a residential facility for adults with disabilities, a GoFundMe account said.
"She lived her life to give back to the community," the GoFundMe said. "She was living her vision of the American dream, she immigrated to the US with her parents as a child, and did everything she could to give back to the community she loved."
Officer Ricardo Davis
Auxiliary Officer Ricardo Davis was killed on Oct. 27 while in pursuit of a suspect. (ODMP)
Ricardo Davis, an auxiliary officer for Washington Park police in Illinois, died on Oct. 27 after falling off a bridge while in pursuit of a suspect.
Davis, 44, attempted to pull over an SUV with two males inside, but the driver refused to stop and eventually crashed into the Poplar Street Bridge complex, KMOV-TV reported. During the pursuit, Davis jumped over a concrete barrier and fell about 50 feet off the bridge, according to KMOV.
He was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
"It’s a big loss to the community and sad it had to end this way. He did what he thought he had to do to protect the community," Washington Park Mayor Rickie Thomas told the Belleville News-Democrat. "My heart goes out to the family and my prayers are certainly with the family. I am at a loss for words concerning this officer."
He said Davis was a "very respectful young man."
Deputy Farrah B. Turner
Deputy Farrah B. Turner died on Oct. 22, becoming the second officer to die in an ambush earlier this month. (Florence County Sheriff's Office)
Weeks after a South Carolina man ambushed police officers from inside his home, Deputy Farrah B. Turner succumbed to her injuries and died on Oct. 22.
Turner "was the ultimate professional, excelling at everything she did," said Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone. "She dedicated her life to serving the victims of the worst crimes imaginable.
Turner was among seven law enforcement officers allegedly shot by 74-year-old Frederick Hopkins in Florence, South Carolina. Authorities said the decorated Vietnam War veteran opened fire without warning when officers arrived at his home on Oct. 5 to speak with his son about a sexual assault investigation.
She had been hospitalized since the attack and had multiple operations before her death. Officer Terrence Carraway was also killed in the ambush.
Officer Antwan Toney
Officer Antwan Toney of the Gwinnett County Police Department was killed on Oct. 20. (Gwinnett County Police Department)
Officer Antwan Toney was killed in Georgia on Oct. 20 after being fired upon while responding to the scene of "a suspicious vehicle," the Gwinnett County Police Department confirmed in a news release.
Toney, along with other officers, arrived at an area near Shiloh Middle School about 2:30 p.m. in response to a report of "a suspicious vehicle," police said. Upon finding and nearing the vehicle, "shots were fired from inside the suspect vehicle," and one of them hit Toney, the news release said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said.
Toney, who had been on the force since 2015, was just days away from marking his three year anniversary with the department, police said.
Trooper Kevin Conner
Trooper Kevin Conner, 38, was fatally shot during a traffic stop. (North Carolina Highway Patrol)
North Carolina Trooper Kevin Conner, 38, was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Oct. 17.
Conner was an 11-year veteran of the force and the father of two children: an 11-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son.
"It was his lifelong dream," Greg Rudnick, a highway patrolman, told The Courier-Tribune about Conner's job. "He just wanted to make a difference, and he always did. He wa
Fox News’ Nicole Darrah, Edmund DeMarche, Travis Fedschun, Ryan Gaydos, Kathleen Joyce, Katherine Lam, Stephen Sorace, Elizabeth Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
