Executive Summary

As violence has surged across America and across the globe, retailers from the UK, Canada and U.S. have reported a significant increase in aggressive behavior, employee abuse and assaults, shoplifter aggressiveness, workplace violence, active shooters, and even mass shootings.

From 2016 to 2019 we've seen a steady rise of violence in and around America's retail stores that resulted in fatalities. With the 2020 onset of the pandemic, the fatality numbers rapidly rose over 35% with 318 more fatalities than in 2019 and almost double from 2016, recording an 86% increase.

With 2022 proving to be the most violent year ever in America's retail stores with 694 violent fatalities, up 17% from 2021, 29% from 2020, and 35% from 2019. Certainly showing the impact of a number of variables.

Richard Berk, University of Pennsylvania, Department of Criminology, recently wrote:

The pandemic and the public health measures that followed no doubt disrupted day-to-day life and increased substantially life’s burdens, especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods. There is good reason to think that existing resentment increased, and new resentments were created. Surges in violent crime might follow. But the timing does not work unless one focuses only violent crime increases from the middle of 2020 perhaps through 2022.

Taking the raw numbers at face value, recent increases in homicides and violent crime have been attributed to three factors: (1) COVID-19 public health measures such as travel restrictions, school closures, lockdowns, and curfews, (2) COVID-19 sickness and death itself, and (3) less aggressive police practices in response on Black Lives Matter and other organized criticisms of police use of force. Upenn.edu

While fatalities and incidents remained relatively consistent throughout all four quarters of 2022 the number of customer fatalities, 381, continues to rise significantly, up 67% since 2019. Along with the number of associates, 170, rising 51% since 2019.

Parking lots continue to be the major area at 53% and increasing by 100 fatalities, and with in-store fatalities decreasing in percentage to 43%, but remaining at the same number of fatalities at 296, as in 2021. When it was the top location for fatalities.

One consistent remains that men with guns cause 83% to 94% of all fatalities in retail. With convenience stores 32%, restaurants 19%, gas stations 8%, Grocery 6%, and Malls 5% comprising 70% of all fatalities.

Monday, Sunday, and Thursday being the top three days of the week. With Friday's continuing to have the lowest fatalities throughout the seven years of reporting.

As usual, Texas, California, Georgia, and Florida being the top states six years running. And Houston being the deadliest city for six of the seven years of reporting. With Philadelphia holding that top rank only once in 2020.

Bottom line is that, the nation's violence has indeed spilled into America's stores. And while the industry continues to focus on shrinkage, organized retail theft, and cybersecurity, this writer would suggest more be done and budgeted to safeguard our customers and associates.

Certainly, the recent and somewhat surprising and rare reports of stores closings due to crime are regretful and not without negative reviews, the harsh reality is it may be serving the communities better and saving lives. The question is, what more can be done and are the nation's retailers willing to address the problem and find solutions. With 694 deaths in 2022 and over 3,606 in the last seven years, those victims deserve an answer. What are we doing, as an industry, to make our stores safer? by Gus Downing

4th Quarter Comparison
2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 - 2020 - 2021 - 2022



• Fatalities up 118% from Q4 2016 & Up 43% from Q4 2021
• Incidents up 103% from Q4 2016 & Up 32% from Q4 2021
 

2022 Incidents/ Fatalities by Quarter