Fatal Police Shootings in Pennsylvania Statistics

Content Last Updated: November 26, 2025

Key Takeaways

Police in Pennsylvania reportedly killed 334 people between 2013 and 2025. In 2024 alone, there were 33 fatal police shootings.
The data shows disparities in victims' race, gender, age, mental health status, and geographic area.
If you or a loved one was a victim of police violence, Police Brutality Center can connect you with an experienced civil rights lawyer.

Overview of Fatal Police Shootings in Pennsylvania

Between 2013 and 2025, police in Pennsylvania killed 334 people throughout the state, according to the Mapping Police Violence database from Campaign Zero, a police reform advocacy group. This figure includes victims of all ages, races, and backgrounds, but some demographics were affected at significantly higher rates. Each fatal police shooting leaves behind grieving families, shaken communities, and a life ended too soon.

Pennsylvania lacks a standardized statewide system for documenting police use of force. Some departments, like the Philadelphia Police Department, publish detailed officer-involved shooting data. Others do not.

Without complete and consistent reporting, the true scope of these incidents can remain hidden. Tracking and publicizing this data allows residents, lawmakers, and advocates to identify patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of reforms. Let’s explore what we know from the existing statistics on fatal police shootings in Pennsylvania.

Recent Statistics of Fatal Police Shootings in Pennsylvania Since 2018

The Mapping Police Violence database shows the following:

Year	Number of Fatal Police Shootings
2025 (as of August)	22
2024	33
2023	34
2022	26
2021	26
2020	22
2019	16
2018	32

A review of the statewide totals reveals both spikes and periods of decline. Fatalities reached a high in 2018 and again in 2023, with a noticeable dip in 2019.

The four-year period from 2022 to 2025 had an average of 29 fatal police shootings per year. From 2018 to 2021, there was an average of 24 fatal police shootings per year. This shows a significant and worrying upward trend in police-related shooting deaths.

Demographics of Victims

Black residents in Pennsylvania are 4.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white residents. For example, in 2024, police killed 10 Black people compared to 15 white people, even though Black people make up just 10.3% of Pennsylvania’s population.

This overview of the racial backgrounds of the state’s fatal police shooting victims highlights an alarming trend of potential racial biases. Between 2013 and 2025, the demographics of police shooting fatalities reported by Campaign Zero break down as follows:

320 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander individuals per million residents
73 Black individuals per million
67 American Indian and Alaska Native individuals per million
22 Hispanic individuals per million
18 white individuals per million
6 Asian individuals per million

The gender disparity is also striking: Of those killed by police in Pennsylvania, 15 victims were women and 316 were men.

Victims’ ages ranged from 8 to 91. Here’s a look at the age breakdown of victims killed in Pennsylvania police shootings between 2013 and 2025, according to the Mapping Police Violence project:

Age of Victims	Number of Victims per Age Range
Under 18	7
18 to 29	94
30 to 39	92
40 to 49	67
50 to 59	40
60 to 69	19
70 and older	10

Geographic Hotspots for Fatal Police Shootings in Pennsylvania

Campaign Zero’s data show that fatal police shootings occurred 69 times in urban areas, 72 times in suburban areas, and 56 times in rural areas in Pennsylvania between 2013 and 2025. The highest concentrations of deaths were in cities with larger populations and higher poverty levels.

These Pennsylvania cities had the most fatal police shootings, according to the data:

Philadelphia: 69
Pittsburgh: 18
Harrisburg: 12
Allentown: 10
York: 8
Lancaster: 9
Chester: 6
Reading: 5
Greensburg: 4
Upper Darby: 3
Washington: 3
Pottstown: 3
Hazleton: 3
Butler: 3

These statistics show a correlation between crime rates and police shootings. For example, Philadelphia’s violent crime rate is nearly four times higher than the state average, according to the FBI’s reported crime data. Pittsburgh’s violent crime rate is roughly half that of Philadelphia’s.

Common Circumstances of Fatal Police Shootings

Mental health crises played a major role in Pennsylvania’s fatal police encounters. According to Mapping Police Violence, victims showed signs of mental illness in at least 79 incidents, which represents roughly 23% of the fatalities. Officers had been called to conduct welfare checks, often involving someone in emotional distress, in 34 incidents.

Many victims reportedly posed minimal threat to others before they were shot. According to Campaign Zero’s data, while law enforcement reported that 146 victims allegedly attacked an officer, dozens of others did not pose an immediate threat. Two hundred forty-eight victims were reportedly armed, while 49 were unarmed.

In 190 cases, the person killed reportedly did not run or attempt to escape. Forty-four people fled on foot, and 47 tried to flee by car. For some, fear rather than violence may have driven their actions.

According to the Mapping Police Violence, the reasons officers were called to the scene varied widely:

93 shootings followed reports of violent crimes
59 involved someone reportedly carrying a weapon
46 involved non-violent offenses, such as theft or trespassing
32 started as routine traffic stops
24 stemmed from domestic disputes
12 incidents resulted from an initial “crime against a person”

Policy and Legal Landscape of Police in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania law allows officers to use “any force which they believe to be necessary” to defend themselves or others during an arrest.

Police are only allowed to use deadly force when “such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury” of the officer or another person, or the officer believes the force is necessary to prevent the escape of a suspect who has committed a forcible felony, possesses a deadly weapon, or “otherwise indicates that he will endanger human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay.”

This broad language means fatal police shootings may be legally justified in a wide range of situations.

State lawmakers have attempted and failed to expand Pennsylvania’s laws on police use of force in recent years. In 2020, the Pennsylvania Senate passed two major reform bills, but neither made it to the House floor for a vote.

The first bill, Senate Bill 459, would have required all police departments to keep detailed records of every use-of-force incident. The second measure, Senate Bill 1205, would have banned chokeholds during arrests or detentions and required formal use of force policies. While these bills did not go into law, they show the kinds of reforms Pennsylvania may revisit in the future as police-involved shootings continue to rise.

Trends and Patterns of Police Violence Data in Pennsylvania Over Time

Fatal police shootings in Pennsylvania have gone up and down over the years. However, there has not been a clear decline. Some years saw fewer incidents, but overall the numbers remain steady.

Body cameras have changed how these incidents are documented. According to the Mapping Police Violence data, of the 51 shootings where a body camera was used, all but two happened after 2019. By comparison, of the 128 shootings without body camera footage, only 38 reportedly occurred after 2019.

National events, including the protests after the 2020 killing of George Floyd, led to proposed reforms in Pennsylvania, such as bans on chokeholds, enhanced de-escalation training, and steps toward greater oversight . However, these measures were ultimately not enacted. Meanwhile, with minimal change in public policy, the numbers show that fatal shootings continue at a steady pace.

Seeking Justice for Victims of Police Brutality

If police brutality has harmed you or someone you love, know that support is within reach. Police Brutality Center can connect you with experienced attorneys who will treat your case with care, compassion, and confidentiality.

Justice is possible, and you do not have to proceed alone. Contact us today to get answers and find the help you need.