Lynch Mob Mayhem in Ferguson -Two Police Officers Shot & a Manhunt is Underway.

Arnold Ahlert / Canada Free Press

Shortly after midnight Thursday morning, two police officers were shot in front of the Ferguson Police Department. A 41-year -old officer from the St. Louis Police Department was shot in the shoulder, with the bullet exiting through his back. A 32-year-old officer officer from the Webster Groves Police Department was shot just below the right eye with the bullet lodging in his ear. “We could have buried two police officers next week over this,” said St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar.

Police believe the shots came from a handgun fired from approximately 120 yards away, and based on the trajectory of the bullets, it appears the shots were intentionally aimed at the officers. They were part of a 25-man police line at set up at the Ferguson PD headquarters to deal with the latest protest, convened to celebrate Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson’s resignation from the force, and to call for Mayor James Knowles III to follow suit. Jackson will receive nearly $96,000 in annual salary and health coverage following his resignation on Mar. 19. Lt. Col. Al Eickhoff will take over as acting chief until the city completes a nationwide search for a new police chief, the city said in a news release.

And while the protests were winding down for the night, shots suddenly rang out. “We heard, like, a firework‚Äìwe thought it was a firework‚Äìit was loud,” said journalist Bradley Rayford. “You couldn’t even see where it was coming from, but you saw the muzzle” flash from up the hill. The bullets went right past my head.”

“We all ducked down” Rayford added. “I saw a cop on the ground, obviously in pain; they had to drag him from the front lines.”

Belmar aptly characterized the incident for what it was. “This is really an ambush,” he said. “You are basically defenseless. It is hard to guard against.” When asked if the gunman played any part in the protest, Belmar was diplomatic, saying he was “very confident that whoever did this was there for the wrong reasons,” and that he considered the shooting “an unfortunate association with the gathering.”

One is left to wonder how unfortunate. A video taken at the scene reveals the sound of one shot ringing out as a woman screams in surprise. A second and possibly a third shot is also heard, followed by the sound of someone, presumably one of the wounded officers, moaning in pain. While protestors are fleeing the scene and cops are engaging in an effort to help their fallen comrades another voice is heard. “Acknowledgement nine months ago would have kept that from happening,” declared the unidentified speaker, more than likely referring to the initial incident during which former Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown last August.

Wilson was cleared of all charges related to that incident by a local grand jury last fall. Wilson was also cleared last week following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). And as was the case following a similar investigation of George Zimmerman following his acquittal for shooting Trayvon Martin, the DOJ again cited a lack of evidence as its reason for failing to bring Wilson to trial for civil rights violations.