The FBI is reporting that 59 law enforcement officers have been feloniously killed in the line of duty so far this year, a 51% spike compared to the 39 deaths at this time last year.

The 59 officer deaths mean about one officer has been murdered every five days this year, the head of FBI Boston’s division told the Herald on Monday.

The rising assaults on law enforcement officers are both “disturbing” and “alarming,” added Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of FBI Boston.

“There’s been a tremendous uptick in the felonious killings of officers,” he said, later adding, “And not only are the numbers dramatically rising over the last couple of years, the percent of unprovoked attacks has significantly risen.”

These unprovoked attacks, combined with pursuits, tactical situations and ambushes, have been the cause for 74% of the felonious deaths so far this year. In 2020, those four circumstances represented 28% of the deaths.