In all, the violence has cost the lives of eight officers, including those in Baton Rouge, and two civilians and sparked a national debate over race and policing.
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“This city MUST and WILL get better”, Jackson wrote in a July 8 Facebook post.
“They are domestic terrorists who are attacking these police officers”, said Ray Hunt with the Houston Police Officers’ Union.
Shots were exchanged over a period of more than 15 minutes, leaving three police officers and the suspect dead, with three other officers wounded, one in a critical condition.
The six Baton Rouge, Louisiana, police officers killed or wounded in an attack yesterday morning ranged from a newcomer to the force to veteran officers, officials said, in the latest mass shooting to afflict a USA city.
One witness told WBRZ-TV that a man was dressed in black with his face covered and began randomly shooting as he walked by a convenience store and vehicle wash.
“I remember Montrell got on Facebook the other day and posted that he hopes that his son won’t ever become a police officer so he wouldn’t have to deal with the BS that comes with the job”, he said.
A 29-year-old officer who was once injured trying to save a toddler from a burning building and who recently became a father himself has been identified as one of the officers killed Sunday morning.
The attack came almost two weeks after the fatal police shooting of a black man in the city sparked nationwide protests, one of which led to the massacre of five Dallas policemen.
“To the rest of my family and other officers please watch your 6 and God please watch over them”, he wrote.
Mark Clements, who lives near the scene, said he heard the shootout in his backyard, explaining: “I heard probably 10 to 12 gunshots go off”.
In the message, Jackson says he is physically and emotionally exhausted. Thank you to everyone that has reached out to me or my wife it was needed and much appreciated. Look at my actions they speak LOUD and CLEAR.
Kip Holden, the Baton Rouge mayor, also asked us to pull together: “If this is not a defining moment for us, to bridge the divide and come out with a unified voice, than I don’t know what is”.
He offered support to “any protesters, officers, friends, family or whoever”, saying “if you see me [working] and need a hug or want to say a prayer”.
Authorities identified two of the victims as police officers and one as a sheriff’s deputy.
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Mr Sterling’s nephew Terrance Carter condemned the killing of the three Baton Rouge officers and said the family just wanted peace.
