Two NYPD officers were reportedly shot and killed in their car at the intersection of Myrtle and Tompkins Streets in Brooklyn, NYC on Saturday, according to USA Today.
Investigators reportedly believe that the man who shot the two NYPD officers wrote, “I’m putting wings on pigs today. They take 1 of ours, let’s take 2 of theirs,” on social media before the killings, according to NBC News.
The Instagram post also reportedly references Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
Police reportedly stated that 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Brinsley walked up to the police car in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn and shot the two NYPD officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos through the passenger side window, striking both in the head. Brinsley then reportedly ran to a nearby subway station where he turned the gun on himself, stated police.
“Today two of New York’s finest were shot and killed, with no warning, no provocation. They were, quite simply, assassinated,” Police Commissioner William Bratton stated.
He added, “Targeted for their uniform and for the responsibility they embraced to keep the people of this city safe.”
There were reportedly 10 eyewitnesses to the shooting of 32-year-old Liu and 40-year-old Ramos.
Before Brinsley killed the police officers, he reportedly shot his girlfriend, Shaneka Nicole Thompson, in her Baltimore County home, police stated. She reportedly remains in critical, but stable condition.
Baltimore police reportedly sent a warning to the NYPD after discovering that Brinsley posted threats to kill New York officers from the woman’s Instagram account.
About 100 people reportedly gathered on Sunday evening for a vigil at the street corner where the two officers were shot.
“I came down to pay my respects to the officers that were killed,” stated Dante Fernal.
He continued, “It was a tragedy — no one should have done what happened.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who has led peaceful protests over the death of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, spoke on the tragic deaths of the officers.
“I have spoken to the Garner family and we are outraged by the early reports of the police killed in Brooklyn today,” Sharpton said in a statement.
He continued, “Any use of the names of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, in connection with any violence or killing of police, is reprehensible and against the pursuit of justice in both cases.”
