New York, NY, December 20, 2014 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) was shocked and stunned by the senseless, execution-style murders of two New York Police Department officers by a man who reportedly expressed extreme hatred toward the police on his social media accounts just prior to the attack.

Police say the gunman apparently carried out the killings earlier today in revenge for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The gunman, identified in media reports as Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, reportedly threatened to shoot cops on his Instagram account with the message, “I’m putting Wings on Pigs Today,” moments before killing the two patrol officers in their squad car in Brooklyn.

Evan R. Bernstein, ADL New York Regional Director, issued the following statement:

This was a heinous, senseless and shocking assault on two New York City Police officers whose only crime was in reporting for duty. It is hard to find words to explain why anyone would think it appropriate to kill police officers in cold blood.

Violence, particularly violence borne of racism or hatred, is never the appropriate response in a civil society. The rule of law must prevail. When men and women sworn to serve and protect the public are targeted for senseless acts of barbarism, our democracy suffers and society breaks down into lawlessness. Regardless of the passions surrounding the Brown and Garner cases, we must rise above appeals to anger, fear and racism and find a way to move forward together and find common ground.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, and we extend our deepest condolences to Commissioner William Bratton, Mayor Bill DeBlasio and all of the members of the NYPD.

 

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.  Follow us on Twitter: @ADL_NY