FBI Director Issues Warning as Police Officers Murdered at Unprecedented Rate

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray during a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington on Sept. 22, 2020. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

FBI Director Christopher Wray has issued a warning about the increasing rate of murders of police officers in recent months, saying the trend is outpacing violent crime nationwide.

Wray told CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on April 24 that murders of police officers rose about 59 percent in 2021 over the previous year, while the total murder rate rose about 29 percent from 2020. Seventy-three officers were killed last year, he said.