Ignorant Rudy Giuliani and the New York police union were quick to cast blame for the murder of two New York police officers on President Obama, Al Sharpton, Mayor Bill DeBladio and even Eric Garner himself. But back in the land of reality, the family of the man police killed earlier this year denounced all violence against police officers and once again called for peace in their son’s name.
“Anyone who’s standing with us, we want you to not use Eric Garner’s name for violence because we are not about that,” Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, told reporters. “I’m standing here in sorrow about losing those two police officers.”
The officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, were shot Saturday while sitting in their squad car. Investigators are examining social media posts by the gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, suggesting that the killings were retaliation for the deaths of Garner and of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
“I’m putting wings on pigs today,” one post said. “They take 1 of ours … let’s take 2 of theirs.”
Protesters have marched in cities across the country since grand juries declined to indict the officer in the confrontation with Garner and the officer who shot Brown to death. Garner’s widow, Esaw, asked on Sunday that future protests remain peaceful.
“My husband was not a violent man,” she said. “We don’t want violence connected to his name.” She also expressed empathy for the families of the officers. “I know what they’re going through to lose a loved one right before the holidays,” she said.
