Stephanie Keith/Reuters
The man who ambushed two NYPD officers and killed them execution-style shot his girlfriend hours before his Brooklyn attack, officials said. Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, shot and wounded his girlfriend in Maryland around 5:45 a.m. before heading to Brooklyn. Baltimore police tried to warn NYPD about Brinsley before the attack, but the alert they faxed apparently arrived too late, according to officials. Brinsley posted anti-police message on social media platforms prior to the brutal attack. "I’m Putting Wings On Pigs Today. They Take 1 Of Ours...Let’s Take 2 of Theirs,” he posted on Instagram, while also mentioning Eric Garner and Michael Brown. He also posted, "I Always Wanted To Be Known For Doing Something Right” he posted on Facebook.
President Obama denounced the ambush. Late Saturday night, Obama condemned the “murder of two police officers in New York City.” Acknowledging the anti-cop sentiments following the grand jury decisions not to indict the cops who killed Brown or Garner, Obama praised police, saying they “deserve our respect and gratitude every single day.” Michael Brown's family also denounced the ambush. "We must work together to bring peace to our communities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the officers' families during this incredibly difficult time,” the family said in a statement.