The fatal shootings of two New York Police Department officers prompted reactions from officials nationwide, including some from our area. On Saturday a gunman shot and killed two NYPD officers sitting in their squad car in Brooklyn before running to a nearby subway station and turning the gun on himself, officials said.
A Philadelphia Police spokeswoman called the shootings a “horrible act of terror.”
"Intentionally murdering a police officer is not the way to solve anything," she said in a statement to NBC10. "In fact it destroyed the lives of two families (those of these officers) that had absolutely nothing to do with the events taking place across this country. Our thoughts and prayers are with New York Police Department and the families of these officers. All of us in this country must really take a look at ourselves and our actions and get this right, because the loss of human lives surely isn't the answer."
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter took to Twitter to address the shooting.
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Officials with the Gloucester Township Police Department also announced their support for the NYPD.
“The men and women of the Gloucester Township Police Department stand in solidarity with our brother and sisters of the New York City Police Department and mourn the loss of their two assassinated officers,” they wrote in a released statement. “By the order of Chief Harry Earle, all Gloucester Township Police Officers shall be wearing mourning bands over their badges for 7 days. Please keep the murdered Officers, their families, the NYPD, and all law enforcement your thoughts and prayers.”
The deadly Brooklyn shootings occurred in the wake of nationwide protests against police in relation to the recent grand jury decisions not to indict the officers involved in the deaths of Mike Brown and Eric Garner. The decisions prompted several protests in our area, including one demonstration at the King of Prussia Mall Saturday.
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Anti-police graffiti which read, “Cop Lives Don’t Matter” was also discovered earlier this week in West Philadelphia.
