Abstract:

We document a sharp rise in gunshots coupled with declining 911 call volume across thirteen major US cities in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. This pattern occurs in both  white and non-white neighborhoods, persists beyond the protest movement, and is not accompanied by large declines in police response times. National survey data indicate victims of crime became less likely to report their victimization due to fear of police harassment. Our results suggest that high profile acts of police violence may erode community engagement with law-enforcement, and highlight the call-to-shot ratio as a natural measure of attitudes towards the police.