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Obama, Holder Release Statements After Extremists Ambush, Shoot 2 Cops Outside Ferguson PD Building (Picture, Video)
Chief Says He Believes Ferguson Police Shooter Was Associated With Protests
A 41-year-old officer was shot in the shoulder and a 32-year-old was shot in the face early Thursday during a protest outside the Ferguson Police Department. The St. Louis County police chief said he believes the officers were the intended targets.
What We Know So Far
Two police officers were shot in Ferguson on Thursday morning during a protest after the police chief announced his resignation.
- The officers, one from the St. Louis County Police force and the other from the Webster Groves department, are expected to survive.
- “We are lucky, by God’s grace, we didn’t lose two officers last night,” St. Louis County Chief of Police Jon Belmar said.
- Belmar said that the officers, who were standing next to each other in a larger police line, were the intended targets.
- No one is in custody for the shootings, but the chief said he believed the gunman has “an unfortunate association with” the protests.
- “This is really an ambush,” Belmar said. “You’re defenseless.”
- The two officers were treated and released from Barnes Jewish Hospital, the St. Louis County Police confirmed.
President Obama sends tweets on Ferguson police shooting.
Violence against police is unacceptable. Our prayers are with the officers in MO. Path to justice is one all of us must travel together. –bo
— WhiteHouse (@The White House)
The family of slain Ferguson teenager Michael Brown, Jr. released a statement on last night’s police shooting:
“The family of Michael Brown, Jr. condemns this morning’s senseless shooting of two Ferguson police officers.
We reject any kind of violence directed toward members of law enforcement. It cannot and will not be tolerated.
We specifically denounce the actions of stand-alone agitators who unsuccessfully attempt to derail the otherwise peaceful and non-violent movement that has emerged throughout this nation to confront police brutality and to forward the cause of equality under the law for all.
We must work together to bring peace to our communities.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with the officers injured during this morning’s shooting and their families.”
Amateur video captured from the scene last night appears to show the moment the two cops were shot.
St. Louis County Police confirm that several people have been brought in for questioning in the Ferguson police shooting. Spokesperson cannot say how many individuals have been questioned at this time, but no one has been arrested.
Full press conference with Chief Jon Belmar on the investigation of the shooting. Belmar said he believes “there was an unfortunate association with that gathering” in Ferguson last night.
Photos collected at the scene from the St. Louis County Police Crime Scene Unit where two police officers were shot. St. Louis County Police / Via Facebook: permalink.php
Governor Jay Nixon released the following statement:
.@GovJayNixon statement on the shooting of two officers in #Ferguson last night:
— chrisgeidner (@Chris Geidner)
Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement:
“This heinous assault on two brave law enforcement officers was inexcusable and repugnant. I condemn violence against any public safety officials in the strongest terms, and the Department of Justice will never accept any threats or violence directed at those who serve and protect our communities—from this cowardly action, to the killing of an officer in Philadelphia last week while he was buying a game for his son, to the tragic loss of a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the line of duty in Louisiana earlier this week. Such senseless acts of violence threaten the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards for the past several months. We wish these injured officers a full and speedy recovery. We stand ready to offer any possible aid to an investigation into this incident, including the department’s full range of investigative resources. And we will continue to stand unequivocally against all acts of violence against cops whenever and wherever they occur.”
“Both officers are good guys,” Belmar said. “I’m proud of them.”
The only gunfire was the incident where the officers were struck.
“This is really an ambush. You can’t see it coming. You’re basically defenseless. That is something very difficult to guard against when you have officers standing in a large group.”
“It was pretty rowdy,” he said of the protests, adding that he did not expect the night to go as it did. “There was agitation in the crowd.”
Belmar said he doesn’t know if there will be more protests tonight, but plans to send officers to the Ferguson Police Department.
No one is in custody for the shooting yet, Belmar said. Finding the individuals involved is the department’s top priority.
Three people were arrested in the protests last night in Ferguson. By midnight, most of the protesters had dispersed, St. Louis County Chief of Police Jon Belmar said.
The crowd was a lot smaller when the two officers were shot.
“Fortunately with both officers, we don’t have any remarkable long-term injuries,” Belmar said. “By God’s grace we didn’t lose two officers last night.” MOREHERE
