The gunman, Gavin Long, an African-American, was himself shot to death minutes later in a gunfight with police who converged on the scene. “I want to be clear: “There is no justification for violence against law enforcement”, he said”.
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The suspect has been identified as a black male named Gavin Eugene Long of Kansas City, Missouri, sources tell CBS News. According to public records, Long was a retired Marine who served in the USA military from August 2005 to August 2010.
One of the three police officers killed on Sunday afternoon after a gunman opened fire in Baton Rouge, Louisiana has officially been identified as Montrell L. Jackson, a 10-year police veteran who recently welcomed a baby son with his wife. In some of the videos he made references to Alton Sterling, the black man who was killed by police in Baton Rouge on July 5. Authorities initially suspected other shooters could be on the loose, but have since determined Long appears to have been a lone gunman.
Sunday’s shooting follows the killing of five officers in Dallas earlier this month and police in the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin say an officer was ambushed by a man during a traffic stop. I’ve offered my full support, and the full support of the federal government, to Governor Edwards, Mayor Holden, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Baton Rouge Police Department.
Mr Jackson, believed to be a new father, was gunned down alongside fellow officers Matthew Gerald and Brad Garafola in a horrific attack on police in Baton Rouge.
Thousands of people have protested Sterling’s death and Baton Rouge police arrested more than 200 demonstrators.
USA media outlets are naming the gunman as Gavin Long, 29, of Kansas City, Missouri.
Police had earlier told reporters authorities were seeking more than one person.
“We mourn for the families of all the lost and fallen heroes”, said Roosevelt Poplar, FOP Vice President.
Sunday’s shooting comes after weeks tumult throughout Baton Rogue.
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One officer was sent to Baton Rouge General Medical Center and was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, spokeswoman Meghan Parrish said. Coppola said he did not know what the mask looked like, but that it was “some type of mask to hide (the shooter’s) identity”.
