Postdoctoral Research Fellow Rutgers Gun Violence Research Center Tampa, Florida, United States
Body of Abstract: Title: A National Study of the Associations between Officer-Involved Shootings and Suicide Risk Track: Risk and Protective Factors Subcategories: Environmental Factors, Community/Population Level Factors IRB Approval: Yes In the Works: Yes Abstract Research
Aims: To examine the relationship between community exposure to officer-involved shootings (OIS) and suicide risk, controlling for civilian shooting incidents and demographic factors.
Methods: A nationally representative sample of adults (N=8,009) was recruited via probability-based sampling and completed a self-report survey between May 15-28, 2024. Survey data were merged with Gun Violence Archive data on shootings (May 1, 2023-April 30, 2024) aggregated at the census tract level. Primary outcomes included past-year suicidal ideation and current suicidality severity. Weighted regression analyses examined associations between OIS exposure and suicide outcomes, controlling for civilian shootings, demographics, and community characteristics.
Results: Exposure to OIS was significantly associated with both outcomes. Individuals living in census tracts with OIS shootings had approximately doubled odds of reporting past-year suicidal ideation (OR=2.08, 95% CI: 1.10-3.94, p=0.025), controlling for civilian shootings, demographics, and community characteristics. Similarly, OIS killings were associated with increased suicidality severity (b=0.14, 95% CI: 0.01-0.28, p=0.040). These associations remained significant after controlling for total civilian shooting incidents, suggesting a unique impact of OIS exposure beyond general community violence.
Conclusions: This study provides the first national evidence that community exposure to officer-involved shootings is associated with increased suicide risk, independent of civilian shooting exposure. These findings suggest that OIS events may have broader mental health impacts on community members beyond those directly involved. Results highlight the need for enhanced community mental health resources following OIS incidents and underscore the importance of reducing police violence as an avenue for suicide prevention.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the association between community exposure to officer-involved shootings and suicide risk indicators
2. Differentiate between the impacts of officer-involved shootings versus civilian shootings on community mental health
3. Identify key demographic and community-level factors that influence the relationship between officer-involved shootings and suicide risk
