Report: Shooting Deaths Of Law Enforcement Spike In 2016

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A new report says shooting deaths of law enforcement officers have spiked 78 percent in the first half of 2016 compared to last year.

The data released Wednesday by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund also details an increase in ambush-style assaults like the ones that killed eight officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

According to the report, 32 officers died in firearms-related incidents so far this year including 14 that were ambush-style attacks.

During the same period last year, 18 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty including three that were considered ambush attacks.

However, the data shows that firearms-related deaths are still lower than they were during previous decades like the 1970s.