A groundbreaking study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals a troubling disparity in fatal police violence targeting Indigenous peoples in the United States, specifically American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities. This comprehensive national investigation, led by researchers from Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health and the University of Washington, is the first of its kind to systematically analyze the geographic distribution and risk factors associated with police-related fatalities among Indigenous populations. The findings underscore that AIAN individuals face a disproportionately elevated risk of fatal encounters with law enforcement in and around reservation lands, raising urgent calls for policy reforms informed by rigorous scientific evidence.
The research meticulously examined data spanning from 2013 through early 2024, identifying 203 cases of AIAN people killed by police. Remarkably, about 73% of these deaths occurred either on reservations or within a 10-mile radius, a stark contrast to the fact that only approximately 40% of the AIAN population resides in these geographic areas. This discrepancy becomes even more pronounced when multiracial AIAN individuals are included, elevating the population percentage near reservations to nearly 50%. Such findings indicate a localized concentration of risk, suggesting that the territories surrounding reservations constitute high-risk zones for fatal police violence among Indigenous peoples.
Lead author Dr. Gabriel Schwartz, an assistant professor at Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health, contextualizes these findings within a broader historical framework of systemic marginalization. He articulates that entrenched patterns of disinvestment in Indigenous communities, coupled with complex jurisdictional policing models and routine police harassment on tribal lands, contribute to these disproportionate fatality rates. Importantly, Dr. Schwartz highlights the enduring legacy of colonial policies designed to control, displace, and dispossess Indigenous populations—policies whose effects remain poignantly visible in contemporary law enforcement outcomes.
The methodology underpinning this study combined demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau with detailed incident records from the Mapping Police Violence database. By overlaying geographic mapping techniques with statistical analyses that controlled for confounding variables such as population density and rural versus urban settings, the researchers robustly established a significant elevation in police violence risk near reservation boundaries. This statistical rigor confirms that the observed disparities are not artifacts of population distribution but reflect genuine, location-specific vulnerabilities experienced by AIAN communities.
Intriguingly, the research delineated variations in the types of law enforcement agencies involved in these fatal encounters. On reservations, federal, state, and tribal police are predominantly responsible for the majority of deaths, reflecting the unique jurisdictional layers that govern tribal lands. In contrast, municipal and county police largely account for deaths occurring more than 10 miles from reservation borders. This distinction points to complex inter-agency dynamics and jurisdictional intricacies that may influence policing behaviors and community-police interactions in ways that exacerbate risks for AIAN individuals.
Additionally, the study uncovered notable differences in police conduct related to stops preceding fatal outcomes. On tribal lands, in roughly 20% of cases, law enforcement officers reportedly provided no specific reason for initiating the stop, suggesting a pattern of discretionary policing that may be influenced by racial profiling or other biases. Such findings underscore systemic challenges in policing transparency and accountability in Indigenous communities and call for reforms to ensure lawful and just policing practices that respect the rights and dignity of AIAN individuals.
Co-author Dr. Theresa Rocha Beardall, an associate professor at the University of Washington, frames the study in the context of longstanding Indigenous resistance to police violence. She emphasizes that while Indigenous communities have documented and protested against law enforcement brutality for decades—dating back to the American Indian Movement in the 1960s—the systematic collection and analysis of population-level data have lagged behind community advocacy. This study thus bridges a critical gap by delivering empirical validation to Indigenous lived experiences and community knowledge concerning policing harms.
The boundaries and “border lands” surrounding reservations emerge from the data as perilous zones. The study’s authors theorize that the elevated risk in these fringe areas may be associated with higher densities of Indigenous populations who traverse reservation borders regularly, combined with frequent racial profiling as individuals move in and out of these spaces. These border dynamics likely compound the vulnerability of AIAN individuals to fatal police interventions, highlighting the need for spatially sensitive approaches in law enforcement policy and Indigenous community protections.
Structural factors underpinning these disparities receive significant attention in the study’s narrative. Dr. Schwartz identifies entrenched poverty, underfunded educational institutions, and chronically neglected health infrastructures on reservations as systemic contributors to the violence experienced by Indigenous populations. He argues that these entrenched inequities are perpetuated by enduring structural forces, necessitating reimagined approaches that include Indigenous leadership in prevention strategies, enhanced police accountability, and sustained public health investments tailored to tribal contexts.
Recognizing the complexities inherent in this issue, the researchers call for continued investigation into multiple dimensions of fatal police violence among Indigenous peoples. Future studies are essential to disentangle the specific mechanisms driving geographic disparities, to comprehend the psychological and physical health consequences of such violence on AIAN individuals and communities, and to evaluate the efficacy of innovative interventions. These could include Indigenous-led alternatives to policing, such as healing and wellness-centered responses that address crime and poverty through culturally grounded, community-centered frameworks.
Notably, this research builds upon the team’s prior work documenting elevated rates of fatal police violence experienced by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, as reported in a 2022 publication analyzing national data. This cumulative body of research signals a broader pattern of disproportionate law enforcement violence against Indigenous peoples across diverse contexts in the United States, emphasizing the pervasive nature of these systemic injustices and the critical need for targeted public health and social reforms.
Funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, the study’s findings represent a vital contribution to the public health and social sciences literature. By rigorously quantifying risk and elucidating the sociopolitical and structural contexts in which violence occurs, this work provides a foundational evidence base to inform policy debates and community advocacy efforts aimed at protecting Indigenous lives. It lays out a compelling imperative to confront entrenched inequalities and to re-envision law enforcement and public health systems that impact Native communities.
In conclusion, this pioneering study sheds new and sobering light on the heightened vulnerability of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples to fatal police violence within reservation and adjacent areas. Addressing these disparities demands not only empirical insight but a profound commitment to justice, Indigenous self-determination, and systemic transformation. The hope is that this research catalyzes informed policymaking, nurtures Indigenous-led interventions, and ultimately contributes to the reduction of preventable deaths in these historically marginalized populations.
Subject of Research:
People
Article Title:
Heightened risk of fatal police violence in and around reservations for American Indian/Alaska Native peoples in the United States
News Publication Date:
9-Mar-2026
Web References:
10.1073/pnas.2521002123 (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
References:
Schwartz, G., Beardall, T. R., Jahn, J. L., Mapping Police Violence database, U.S. Census Bureau
Keywords:
Indigenous peoples, Violence, Fatal police violence, American Indian, Alaska Native, Reservations, Public health, Social justice
Tags: AIAN populations and fatal police encountersAmerican Indian and Alaska Native police killingsfatal police violence against Indigenous peoplesgeographic disparities in police fatalitiesIndigenous communities and law enforcement riskIndigenous rights and police accountabilitylaw enforcement reform for Indigenous safetypolice violence near reservationspublic health study on police violenceracial disparities in police-related deathsreservation proximity and police violencesystemic violence against Indigenous peoples
