By Jessica Schladebeck
New York Daily News
HOOVER, Ala. — An Alabama police officer has been fired after he sparked backlash by posting a photo on Facebook that shows a protester in the crosshairs of a rifle scope.
Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis said Officer Ryan Snow admitted to sharing the image on his personal social media account in response to protests over the death of Rayshard Brooks, AL.com reported. He was shot and killed during a confrontation with police officers at a Wendy’s parking lot in Georgia earlier this month.
The Facebook post in question involves the image of an armed, Black demonstrator, originally from an article titled “Armed protesters remain at Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks was killed. So what’s next?” Snow shared an edited version of the picture, this one with a crosshairs laid over top of it.
“Exhale. Feel. Pause. Press steadily. That’s what’s next,” he wrote in the caption.
Derzis said Snow was brought in for questioning as soon as officials were made aware of the “disturbing” post on Wednesday. He was put on leave later the same day, and by Friday he was fired.
“This type of conduct will not be tolerated in our department an is not representative of the professionalism expected by all of our officers,‘' Derzis said.
“We’re not going to allow one officer to tarnish the reputation of the Hoover Police Department.”
Its among scores of racially charged incidents amid nationwide protests sparked over the deaths of Black people by police officers. Protesters have taken to the streets en masse since the killing of 46-year-old Floyd, who died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day after a police officer knelt down on his neck.
Demonstrators have also called for arrests in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot inside her home as officers served a narcotics warrant.
———
©2020 New York Daily News