BATON ROUGE (WHDH) — Sunday’s shooting of six police officers in Baton Rouge came just weeks after a man was shot and killed by police in the city.

While investigators are looking into a possible connection, the city is now mourning more lives lost.

The Louisiana town has been on edge, following the high-profile death of Alton Sterling, who was shot and killed by Baton Rouge officers earlier this month.

A witness captured the deadly shooting of Alton Sterling on cell phone video, which went viral and ignited protests throughout the city that spread nationwide.

In the video, officers were seen on top of Sterling before they fired their guns.

People who live there are now fearing for their own lives, and are not sure what will happen next.

The situation was described as a “powder keg.”

It has been an emotionally charged few weeks, culminating Sunday morning, when six officers were shot by a gunman and three of them were killed.

As protests erupted through the city, another black man was shot and killed by police in Minnesota.

Since then, the Baton Rouge Police Department has been worried about credible threats against its officers.

City and state leaders spoke out against the turmoil that has taken over.

Investigators are still looking into why the shooter opened fire.

The mother of Alton Sterling’s son says she is heartbroken for the Baton Rouge officers who were gunned down and their families and is calling for peace.

In a statement issued Sunday evening Quinyetta McMillon says she is disgusted by the despicable act of violence that resulted in the officers’ deaths and that all she and her son Cameron want is peace.

 

(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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