Early Thursday morning, just hours after the resignation of Ferguson police Chief Thomas Jackson, two officers were shot as they stood guard amid protests outside the police department in Ferguson, Mo. One officer, a 41-year old from the St. Louis County Police Department, was struck in the shoulder. The other, a 32-year old from nearby Webster Groves Police Department, was hit in the face. Both officers were reported to be in serious, but non-life threatening condition.
As local authorities search for the unidentified shooters, protesters and police have begun to speculate about causes and responsibility. CNN reports:
"We don't advocate violence toward the police, (just as) we don't advocate violence from the police toward unarmed people," [Deray McKeeson, a local Ferguson organizer] told CNN. "We can live in a world where people are not getting killed, whether the police are killing them or people are shooting at the police."
[Another protester] expressed worries the shooting will undercut the protesters' message against discrimination and violence.
...
[St Louis County police Chief Jon] Belmar said police have been fortunate that such a shooting hasn't happened sooner.
"These police officers were standing there, and they were shot just because they were police officers," [Belmar] said.
As local authorities and protesters continue to work through this difficult situation, we ask that you lift up prayers for Ferguson.
Read more at CNN.
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