President Obama said Thursday night that the suspect or suspects who shot two Ferguson, Missouri, police officers “need to be arrested.”
“There’s no excuse for criminal acts,” Mr. Obama said on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” show on ABC. “Whoever fired those shots shouldn’t detract from the issue. They’re criminals. They need to be arrested.”
Two officers were wounded by gunfire early Thursday during a protest at the police station about the department’s actions, which a Justice Department report said included patterns of racial bias. No suspects have been arrested.
Attorney General Eric Holder said the federal government would “dismantle” the police department if drastic reforms are not made; the police chief and others have resigned this week. Some critics have said Mr. Holder’s comments aggravated tensions in Ferguson.
Mr. Obama said the community needs to move forward.
“What we need to do is make sure that like-minded, good-spirited people on both sides, law-enforcement who have a terrifically tough job and people who understand they don’t want to be stopped and harassed because of their race, that we’re able to work together to try and come up with some good answers,” he said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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