The number of law enforcement officers killed in the U.S. in the line of duty rose from 94 to 106 between 2017 and 2018, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

More than half of the deaths (55) occurred during felonious incidents, the FBI said in its annual report of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA).

The largest number of felonious deaths(28) occurred in Southern states, the report said.

The figures are compiled from data provided by law enforcement agencies across the U.S. and U.S. territories, and are used in an effort to help improve officer safety training. A report on officer assaults is scheduled for release this fall.

The average age of the officers feloniously killed in 2018 was 37, and the majority (51) were killed by firearms, the FBI reported. Four of the slain officers had their weapons stolen.

Forty-six of the officer victims were white; seven were African-American; and two were classified as Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander.

According to the statistics, three of the officers slain during felonious incidents were female.

Of the 51 law enforcement officers killed accidentally while performing their duties in 2018 (an increase of three over 2017), the majority (34) were killed in motor vehicle crashes.

The press release is available here.