By the numbers: A look at people killed by police

The shootings this week of black motorists in Louisiana and Minneapolis and police officers in Dallas has reinvigorated the national debate about the excessive use of police force.

The Washington Post has maintained a database of all officer-involved shootings since Jan. 1, 2015. The project is quite impressive in scope.

If nothing else, these numbers provide context to the greater story at large. Police have shot and killed approximately 1,500 people (990 in 2015 and 509 in 2016) between Jan. 1, 2015, and July 8, 2016. Yet, only a handful of these shootings make national news. But, it is enough to shape the national dialogue.

RaceNo. KilledPercent of Overall ShootingsPercent of Population
White73248.8%63.7%
Black38125.4%12.2%
Hispanic25116.7%16.3%
Other614.1%7.8%
Unknown744.9%N/A

Please visit https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings/ for more information.