Victim-precipitated homicide refers to killings in which the victim is a direct, positive precipitator of the incident. It is essentially an act of suicide, where an individual engages in a calculated life-threatening criminal incident in order to force a police officer or other person to use deadly force (þsuicide by copþ). This study examined 58 documented incidents in British Columbia where police personnel were confronted by a lethal threat. The characteristics associated with victim-precipitated homicide (history of mental disorder or suicidal tendencies, alcohol or substance abuse) appeared to be a significant factor in roughly half of the cases. In 28 cases the victim caused or contributed to the lethal threat of a police officer by intentionally or unintentionally provoking the officer to use deadly force. The police should give serious consideration to establishing rigorous training in dealing with irrational individuals, training that will allow them to identify self-destructive cues from an individual who is armed and apparently dangerous and help them respond with less lethal force. References, bibliography