WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder is condemning the shooting deaths of two New York City police officers as senseless and an “unspeakable act of barbarism.”
The officers were shot Saturday in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Authorities say the gunman later killed himself.
In a statement Saturday night, Holder calls the attack “cowardly” and says it underscores the dangers that are routinely faced by those who protect and serve their fellow citizens.
Holder praises law enforcement officers as courageous men and women who routinely incur tremendous personal risks, and place their lives on the line every day to preserve public safety. He says all Americans are forever in their debt.
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Holder’s full statement:
I condemn this afternoon’s senseless shooting of two New York City police officers in the strongest possible terms. This was an unspeakable act of barbarism, and I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of these two brave officers in the line of duty.
On behalf of all those who serve in the United States Department of Justice, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the officers’ loved ones and colleagues. I will make available all of the resources of the Department to aid the NYPD in investigating this tragedy.
This cowardly attack underscores the dangers that are routinely faced by those who protect and serve their fellow citizens. As a nation we must not forget this as we discuss the events of the recent past. These courageous men and women routinely incur tremendous personal risks, and place their lives on the line each and every day, in order to preserve public safety. We are forever in their debt.
Our nation must always honor the valor — and the sacrifices — of all law enforcement officers with a steadfast commitment to keeping them safe. This means forging closer bonds between officers and the communities they serve, so that public safety is not a cause that is served by a courageous few, but a promise that’s fulfilled by police officials and citizens working side by side.
