How we did it

This Arkansas Democrat-Gazette series relied upon a database created by reporters because no one officially tracks the use of deadly force by police.

To create the database, reporters analyzed thousands of pages of police reports and prosecutors’ files obtained through Arkansas Freedom of Information Act requests.

The database likely does not include all officer-involved shootings because some officials refused to release information, citing ongoing investigations, or because they said they couldn’t easily search their files for deadly force cases.

To compensate, the Democrat-Gazette reviewed news reports and several third-party databases that track police shootings.

The newspaper also interviewed dozens of police officers, prosecutors, lawyers, criminal justice experts, civil rights activists and victims’ families.

Other documents used included: more than 30 federal court lawsuits publicly available online, academic studies and articles on officer-involved shootings, and key court decisions on police use of force. Reporters: Hunter Field and Amanda Claire Curcio Editor: Sonny Albarado Copy editor: Sandra Tyler Photography and video: Stephen B. Thornton Graphics: Kirk Montgomery Design: Terry Austin Online presentation: Jillian Kremer, Gavin Lesnick, Nikki Dawes