At least 14 officers in rural areas of Minnesota and western Wisconsin have been shot this year, with four killed. Observers say the dangers of rural policing are growing, with suspects more willing to pull the trigger, yet the reality is rarely examined or discussed…
Full story: Shootings spotlight ‘alarming’ jump in violence against rural Minnesota officers
This article highlights the sudden spike of officers being shot in rural areas. I believe there could be several explanations for this. Since the death of George Floyd, we have seen a growing mistrust for the police department. As the article mentioned, a researcher from the University of Nebraska Omaha said that this may not be the entire reason. All though this may not be the entire reason I believe it is fair to say that it plays a part in the increase of shootings. I believe another explanation may be poor mental health as a result of the pandemic. All though we have moved on from the pandemic its effects on people’s mental health may still be present. Another interesting note the article made was that police shot in rural areas are often more deadly than those in urban and suburban areas. An explanation for this may be that people who live in rural areas often learn how to shoot from a young age and may be more skilled with firearms than those in urban and suburban areas. Although the percentage of police shot in the line of duty is still extremely rare this sudden spike is definitely concerning and it will be interesting to see if this trend continues.
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