Michael Brown’s family condemns shooting of cops in Ferguson

Michael Brown’s family on Thursday condemned the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson as “senseless.”

At the time of the shooting, the cops were standing in front of the Ferguson Police Department across the street from protestors, who gathered following the Ferguson police chief’s resignation on Wednesday.

“We reject any kind of violence directed toward members of law enforcement. It cannot and will not be tolerated,” the Brown family said in a statement.

Brown family members reiterated that they want to bring about positive changes to the criminal justice system through nonviolent means.

“We specifically denounce the actions of stand-alone agitators who unsuccessfully attempt to derail the otherwise peaceful and non-violent movement that has emerged throughout this nation to confront police brutality and to forward the cause of equality under the law for all,” the statement reads.

The death of their 18-year-old son at the hands of then-Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9 inspired widespread protests against law enforcement.

A Department of Justice report, released last week, confirmed many of the protesters’ grievances about systemic racism within the Ferguson Police Department.

Nevertheless, the Brown family said everyone must “work together to bring peace to our communities” and extended sympathies to the wounded officers and their families.

One of the victims, a 32-year-old police officer from nearby Webster Groves Police Department, suffered a gunshot wound to the face.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the bullet entered the officer under his right eye and got lodged beneath his right ear.

The other victim, a 41-year-old police officer from the county’s police department, was hit in the shoulder with a bullet that exited through his back.

Both officers were treated and released from Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis on Thursday morning.

The shooting reignited the #BlueLivesMatter hashtag campaign for people to lend police their support. Simultaneously, activists questioned the official statements about the incident provided by police.

President Barack Obama took to Twitter to denounce the shooting and let the country know that he is praying for the victims.

“Violence against police is unacceptable. Our prayers are with the officers in MO. Path to justice is one all of us must travel together,” he wrote.

Attorney General Eric Holder released a statement calling the incident a “heinous assault” that is both inexcusable and repugnant.

“Such senseless acts of violence,” it reads, “threaten the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards the past several months.”