Six Alabama law enforcement officers have been shot and killed in 2019. State statistics show that’s the highest number in a year dating back to 1987.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says five of the six slain officers were killed with stolen guns.

In addition to the shootings, a seventh Alabama police officer was killed in a car accident while responding to a burglary.

Nationally, 128 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in the first 51 weeks of 2019. Only Texas, New York and California had more police deaths than Alabama.

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