The two police officers who were shot outside the Ferguson Police Department during a late-night demonstration. The police chief of St. Louis County Jon Belmar said, “We were lucky by God’s grace that we didn’t lose two officers last night,” Police Chief Jon Belmar told reporters. “We could have buried two police officers over this. … It’s a miracle we haven’t had any instances similar to this in the summer and fall.”
Police still do not have a suspect in the shooting of two cops early of the Thursday morning shooting, but has recovered shell casings. They suspect the shooter used a handgun.
The shootings occurred around midnight as demonstrators were winding up a protest following the resignation of the city’s police chief in the wake of a scathing Justice Department report alleging bias in the police department and court.
Belmar said one of the officers, a 32-year-old, seven-year veteran from nearby Webster Groves, was shot below his right eye. The bullet lodged near his right ear, he said.
The second officer, a 41-year-old with 14 years on the St. Louis County force, was hit in the shoulder by a bullet that came out his back.
This incident comes on the heels of the Michael Brown shooting a unarmed black man shot by police officer Darren Wilson last year. Demonstrations took and civil unrest took place and turned the city upside down.
