FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 01, 2020
July 01, 2020
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-639-6405/202-374-6491
[email protected]
Statement on Shooting Death of Sgt. Craig Johnson of Tulsa, Okla., Police Department
Traffic stop altercation highlights dangers that officers face every day
WASHINGTON – American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley today issued the following statement in response to the shooting of two police officers from Tulsa, Oklahoma:
“AFGE extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Sgt. Craig Johnson of the Tulsa, Okla., Police Department and its best wishes for recovery to Officer Aurash Zarkeshan who, like Sargent Johnson, was shot during a traffic stop on June 29.
“The controversy over the deaths in police custody of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks, and the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, should not blind anyone to risks our law enforcement officers take every day to protect public safety.
“Last year, the FBI reported that, nationally, 48 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty as a result of felonious acts. AFGE represents federal law enforcement officers, and although no federal law enforcement officer was killed in the line of duty in 2019, a total of 2,136 federal law enforcement officers were assaulted on the job. Law enforcement is a dangerous occupation, and whenever an officer is assaulted or killed, we are reminded of the enormous debt we owe to those who wear a uniform in order to keep our communities safe.
“AFGE mourns the loss of Sargent Johnson and the injuries borne by Officer Zarkeshan. We honor their service and sacrifice and pray that there will be no more bloodshed.”
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