Another Police Ambush The thin blue line between order and chaos is attacked again.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/another-police-ambush-1468796148
The summer of horrific attacks on police continued on Sunday, with what appeared to be a morning ambush in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Three officers died and another three were wounded as they were fired upon as they answered a call about a man with an assault rifle.
The alleged gunman, who was killed by police, was identified as 29-year-old Gavin Long. His motive wasn’t known as we went to press, but he was reported to belong to the anti-government New Freedom Group. Two others were detained for questioning in the incident, police told reporters.
The shooting is eerily like the one in Dallas two weeks ago when five police officers were killed when they were ambushed during a peaceful protest against the deaths of two young black men in police custody. There was no such protest on Sunday, but Baton Rouge has been the scene of recent standoffs between police and demonstrators following the death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling in a scuffle with police on July 5.
The Dallas shooter was a disturbed malcontent, and this one may be too. But the incidents demonstrate once again the ugly forces that can be unleashed when police are demonized. Baton Rouge police have acted with admirable restraint amid the protests, but all it takes is a single gunman to stage an ambush.
The Dallas and Baton Rouge incidents have put police on alert around the country, even in places where police relations with the community have been relatively good. New York is now having its officers patrol in pairs, as are Chicago and Boston. The more police fear they are targets the greater chance for a violent incident if they are challenged in response to a call.
President Obama issued a statement condemning the attack and asking everyone to tone down the rhetoric. That’s good counsel but we’d go further and say it’s time for everyone in public leadership roles to deplore those who portray the police as the source of urban violence. They are part of the solution.
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