57 officers slain in the line of duty last year

[May 13, 2008]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI says 57 law enforcement officers were slain in the line of duty last year, up from 48 the previous year.

A report issued by the bureau Monday says most of the 57 officers were killed with guns -- 38 with handguns, nine with shotguns and eight with rifles. Two officers were killed with vehicles.

Eleven of the officers fired their own weapons during the incidents and 14 attempted to do so. Weapons were stolen from four of the slain officers and two were killed with their weapons.

The FBI says an additional 83 officers were killed accidentally while on duty, up from 66 the previous year.

[Associated Press; By NATASHA T. METZLER]

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