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| Baton Rouge gunman ambushed officers with 'chilling, sheer brutality' | Baton Rouge gunman ambushed officers with 'chilling, sheer brutality' |
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| The three police officers shot dead in Louisiana were deliberately ambushed, authorities said on Monday, by a gunman who carried two semi-automatic rifles and a pistol as he went looking for officers to kill with “chilling, sheer brutality”. | The three police officers shot dead in Louisiana were deliberately ambushed, authorities said on Monday, by a gunman who carried two semi-automatic rifles and a pistol as he went looking for officers to kill with “chilling, sheer brutality”. |
| Related: Baton Rouge suspect Gavin Long was marine with alias Cosmo Setepenra | Related: Baton Rouge suspect Gavin Long was marine with alias Cosmo Setepenra |
| One of the officers was first wounded, then killed as he lay on the ground. A sheriff’s deputy was killed after leaving cover to help that officer. | One of the officers was first wounded, then killed as he lay on the ground. A sheriff’s deputy was killed after leaving cover to help that officer. |
| Three officers were injured – on Monday one, Cpl Nicholas Tullier, remained in critical condition after being shot in the head and torso. Another, Sgt Bruce Simmons, faced the second of many reconstructive surgeries after being shot in the arm. | |
| At an afternoon press briefing, Col Mike Edmonson of the Louisiana state police confirmed the gunman was Gavin Long, a black separatist identified by media on Sunday who in online postings had urged African Americans to “fight back” against oppression by law enforcement. | |
| Edmonson said Long was from Missouri and had come to Baton Rouge, where an African American man, Alton Sterling, was killed by police officers earlier this month. He could not confirm reports that Long had also been in Dallas, the location of a recent shooting in which five police officers were killed. | Edmonson said Long was from Missouri and had come to Baton Rouge, where an African American man, Alton Sterling, was killed by police officers earlier this month. He could not confirm reports that Long had also been in Dallas, the location of a recent shooting in which five police officers were killed. |
| “We have him in several locations,” he said. | “We have him in several locations,” he said. |
| Two Baton Rouge officers, Montrell Jackson, 32, and 41-year-old Matthew Gerald, were shot and killed. Sheriff’s deputy Brad Garafola, 45, was killed after leaving cover behind a dumpster and going to their aid. | Two Baton Rouge officers, Montrell Jackson, 32, and 41-year-old Matthew Gerald, were shot and killed. Sheriff’s deputy Brad Garafola, 45, was killed after leaving cover behind a dumpster and going to their aid. |
| Edmonson presented to the press still images from surveillance video of the shooting, which he said showed the “chilling, sheer brutality” of a planned and methodical attack by Long, a former US marine who carried two AR 15-style rifles and a 9.9mm pistol. Police were investigating the provenance of the guns. | Edmonson presented to the press still images from surveillance video of the shooting, which he said showed the “chilling, sheer brutality” of a planned and methodical attack by Long, a former US marine who carried two AR 15-style rifles and a 9.9mm pistol. Police were investigating the provenance of the guns. |
| The gunman was killed by a long-distance shot from a member of the Baton Rouge police Swat team, officers said. Police chief Carl Dabadie saluted the shot, which he said was an example of “militarised tactics” which have been criticised by protesters against perceived police brutality. | The gunman was killed by a long-distance shot from a member of the Baton Rouge police Swat team, officers said. Police chief Carl Dabadie saluted the shot, which he said was an example of “militarised tactics” which have been criticised by protesters against perceived police brutality. |
| Sheriff Sid Gautreaux of East Baton Rouge also praised the Swat team, saying: “You can’t understand the shot. They had to shoot through structures.” | Sheriff Sid Gautreaux of East Baton Rouge also praised the Swat team, saying: “You can’t understand the shot. They had to shoot through structures.” |
| Fighting tears, Dabadie said authorities believed Long would have left the strip mall where the shootings occurred and targeted other officers, probably at the nearby police headquarters. | Fighting tears, Dabadie said authorities believed Long would have left the strip mall where the shootings occurred and targeted other officers, probably at the nearby police headquarters. |
| Long, who had served in Iraq, carried out his attack on the morning of his 29th birthday. He left behind a trail of incoherent online postings railing at perceived injustices against black Americans. | Long, who had served in Iraq, carried out his attack on the morning of his 29th birthday. He left behind a trail of incoherent online postings railing at perceived injustices against black Americans. |
| Long described himself in paperwork filed to local authorities as a member of a fringe group called the Washitaw Nation of Mu’urs, a radical “Moorish” splinter group of the so-called sovereign citizens movement. Online he used the pseudonym “Cosmo Setepenra”, an apparent reference to Pharaoh Ramses II, whose royal names included “Setep-en-Ra”. | Long described himself in paperwork filed to local authorities as a member of a fringe group called the Washitaw Nation of Mu’urs, a radical “Moorish” splinter group of the so-called sovereign citizens movement. Online he used the pseudonym “Cosmo Setepenra”, an apparent reference to Pharaoh Ramses II, whose royal names included “Setep-en-Ra”. |
| Speaking after a tense fortnight in the US spanning two mass shootings of police officers and a pair of controversial shootings of civilians by officers, the attorney general, Loretta Lynch, on Monday described Long’s shootings as “yet another instance of violence tearing at the fabric of our nation”. | Speaking after a tense fortnight in the US spanning two mass shootings of police officers and a pair of controversial shootings of civilians by officers, the attorney general, Loretta Lynch, on Monday described Long’s shootings as “yet another instance of violence tearing at the fabric of our nation”. |
| At a conference of senior black law enforcement officials in Washington, Lynch paid particular tribute to the work of Officer Jackson, who was black. Quoting comments that Jackson had recently posted online – as did Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, at the afternoon press briefing – she said: “We must not let hatred infect our hearts.” | At a conference of senior black law enforcement officials in Washington, Lynch paid particular tribute to the work of Officer Jackson, who was black. Quoting comments that Jackson had recently posted online – as did Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, at the afternoon press briefing – she said: “We must not let hatred infect our hearts.” |
| Related: Baton Rouge shooting: dead policeman wrote emotional Facebook post about 'trying times' | Related: Baton Rouge shooting: dead policeman wrote emotional Facebook post about 'trying times' |
| In Baton Rouge, authorities opened up the vast crime scene where Long also wounded three officers, leaving one on life support. The move allowed residents to assess the damage sustained, both physical and emotional. | In Baton Rouge, authorities opened up the vast crime scene where Long also wounded three officers, leaving one on life support. The move allowed residents to assess the damage sustained, both physical and emotional. |
| There were bullet holes everywhere, near the intersection of Airline and Old Hammond highways. Blood stained the ground behind the Hair Crown beauty supply store. Next door at the B-Quik convenience store, the pavement was wet where authorities had apparently washed away more blood. | There were bullet holes everywhere, near the intersection of Airline and Old Hammond highways. Blood stained the ground behind the Hair Crown beauty supply store. Next door at the B-Quik convenience store, the pavement was wet where authorities had apparently washed away more blood. |
| On Sunday, deputy Garafola had just finished an extra-duty detail at the convenience store about 8.30am, when Long started shooting. Police said they responded to a 911 call reporting shots being fired. It was unclear on Monday who had made the call. | |
| Garafola had worked for the sheriff’s department since he was 21. He leaves four children, ranging from 21 years old to seven. His wife, Tonja, had gone to the B-Quik to meet him, and was stopped by a wall of flashing lights and badges. | Garafola had worked for the sheriff’s department since he was 21. He leaves four children, ranging from 21 years old to seven. His wife, Tonja, had gone to the B-Quik to meet him, and was stopped by a wall of flashing lights and badges. |
| “He was a great guy. Not just a great law enforcement, he was a great husband and a great father,” she told The Advocate. “He didn’t deserve this.” | “He was a great guy. Not just a great law enforcement, he was a great husband and a great father,” she told The Advocate. “He didn’t deserve this.” |
| Officer Gerald was a rookie. He had started working for the Baton Rouge city police less than a year ago, and less than two weeks ago received permission to start going on patrols solo. | Officer Gerald was a rookie. He had started working for the Baton Rouge city police less than a year ago, and less than two weeks ago received permission to start going on patrols solo. |
| He had a wealth of other experience, though. He had served as the chief of a helicopter crew in multiple tours in Iraq. He, like the man who killed him, had been a US marine. | He had a wealth of other experience, though. He had served as the chief of a helicopter crew in multiple tours in Iraq. He, like the man who killed him, had been a US marine. |
| Gerald’s Facebook page was dedicated to patriotism; he posted photos of his days overseas, of other veterans, of police officers and flags and badges. | Gerald’s Facebook page was dedicated to patriotism; he posted photos of his days overseas, of other veterans, of police officers and flags and badges. |
| The other officer killed, Jackson, wrote a heart-rending Facebook post days before his death. In it he described the anguish of being black and wearing blue in a city recently divided by conflicts between citizens and police. | The other officer killed, Jackson, wrote a heart-rending Facebook post days before his death. In it he described the anguish of being black and wearing blue in a city recently divided by conflicts between citizens and police. |
| “I swear to God I love this city but I wonder if this city loves me,” he wrote on 8 July. “In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat. I’ve experienced so much in my short life and these last 3 days have tested me to the core. When people you know begin to question your integrity you realize they don’t really know you at all.” | “I swear to God I love this city but I wonder if this city loves me,” he wrote on 8 July. “In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat. I’ve experienced so much in my short life and these last 3 days have tested me to the core. When people you know begin to question your integrity you realize they don’t really know you at all.” |
| When he was a new officer, in 2007, Jackson earned some renown in Baton Rouge when he was injured by smoke inhalation while trying to save a toddler from a burning apartment. The child did not survive. | When he was a new officer, in 2007, Jackson earned some renown in Baton Rouge when he was injured by smoke inhalation while trying to save a toddler from a burning apartment. The child did not survive. |
| The tragedy left a mark on Jackson. He and his wife, Trenisha, recently had a new baby boy of their own, and Jackson wrote on Facebook that he hoped his son would avoid a career in law enforcement so he would never know the distress of it. | The tragedy left a mark on Jackson. He and his wife, Trenisha, recently had a new baby boy of their own, and Jackson wrote on Facebook that he hoped his son would avoid a career in law enforcement so he would never know the distress of it. |
| Even so, Jackson remained hopeful. His family members described him as a “gentle giant”, and on his right biceps he wore a tattoo of the well-known “serenity prayer”: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” | Even so, Jackson remained hopeful. His family members described him as a “gentle giant”, and on his right biceps he wore a tattoo of the well-known “serenity prayer”: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” |
| “Please don’t let hate infect your heart,” he wrote in the 8 July post. “This city MUST and WILL get better.” | “Please don’t let hate infect your heart,” he wrote in the 8 July post. “This city MUST and WILL get better.” |
| By midday Monday, memorials had begun to spring up at the scene of the officers’ deaths. Officers from departments around the region came to pray and remember their compatriots, and parents brought their children to leave flowers and balloons for the fallen officers. | By midday Monday, memorials had begun to spring up at the scene of the officers’ deaths. Officers from departments around the region came to pray and remember their compatriots, and parents brought their children to leave flowers and balloons for the fallen officers. |