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New York gunman told public 'watch what I'm going to do' New York gunman Ismaaiyl Brinsley said 'watch what I'm going to do'
(about 9 hours later)
The man who shot dead two New York police officers told members of the public "watch what I'm going to do" shortly before the attack, police say. The man who shot dead two New York police officers told members of the public to "watch what I'm going to do" shortly before the attack, police say.
Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, had a history of violence and mental instability.Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, had a history of violence and mental instability.
Candlelit vigils have been held in New York in memory of the two officers, Liu Wenjin and Raphael Ramos. Candlelit vigils have been held in New York in memory of officers Wenjian Liu, 32, and Rafael Ramos, 40.
Brinsley shot them as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn before running into a nearby subway station and reportedly shooting himself. Brinsley shot them as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn on Saturday before running into a subway station and shooting himself.
He had posted messages on social media saying he would kill police officers in retaliation for the death of Eric Garner, a black man who died when white police officers arrested him. Hours earlier, he had shot and wounded his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend, Shaneka Thompson, at her home in Baltimore, Maryland, police said.
The Rev Al Sharpton, a prominent civil rights activist, said Mr Garner's family had no connection to the gunman and called the killings "reprehensible". 'Self-despair'
Community leaders have called for peace and the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, has ordered flags across the city to be flown at half-mast. The New York Police Department's Chief of Detectives, Robert Boyce, said that for weeks before the shooting, Brinsley had posted anti-police and anti-government messages on his Instagram account referring to the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
'Self-despair and anger' Protests erupted across the US last month after grand juries in Missouri and then New York declined to charge the white police officers who killed the two unarmed black men.
Brinsley, 28, had been arrested at least 19 times and had a troubled childhood so violent that his mother was afraid of him, police said. Chief Boyce said Brinsley had also shared his feelings of "self-despair and anger at himself and where his life was" in recent posts.
In online postings, he expressed "self-despair and anger at himself and where his life was'', Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. When he arrived in New York on Saturday - hours after shooting Ms Thompson in the stomach - Brinsley threatened on Instagram to kill police officers.
Before the shootings, Brinsley shot and wounded a former girlfriend. "They Take 1 of Ours... Let's Take 2 of Theirs #ShootThePolice #RIPEricGarner #RIPMike Brown," he continued before adding: "This May Be My Final Post."
The killings come at a tense time, with nationwide protests over the deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police officers. Minutes before the attack, Brinsley struck up a conversation with two men, Chief Boyce said.
At one of the memorials, Lucy Ramos, an aunt of Officer Ramos, said she hoped "we can move forward and find an amicable path to a peaceful coexistence". "He asked them for their gang affiliation; he asked them to follow him on Instagram; and then he says: 'Watch what I'm going to do.'"
The attacks have also put pressure on the New York mayor. He then walked past the patrol car with officers Liu and Ramos inside, circled it and, crossed the street and came up behind the car, Chief Boyce said.
Officers turned their back on him at a news conference, angry at what they saw as his support for protests against the police. He walked along the pavement before firing four bullets through the front passenger window, hitting both officers, and then ran.
Brinsley fled to a nearby subway station, where police said he shot himself in the head using his semi-automatic handgun.
Threats
Police departments in New York and several other cities were said to be operating on "high alert", fearful of copy-cat attacks.
The NYPD has suspended all auxiliary patrols for the time being, and police unions have told officers to respond to every radio call with two cars and to not make arrests "unless absolutely necessary", according to CBS News.
Forces are also monitoring social media for threats. In Memphis, Tennessee, a man was taken into custody after writing in a post that he was "driving to New York to kill more cops".
Meanwhile, the family of officer Ramos joined community leaders near their home in Brooklyn for a prayer vigil on Sunday.
His 13-year-old son, Jaden, wrote on Facebook: "It's horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. Everyone says they hate cops but they are the people that they call for help."
Officer Ramos's cousin, Ronnie Gonzalez, said the family had already forgiven his killer.
Mr Gonzalez also said the family would not object to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio attending the funeral, adding: "We're not disrespectful. We're not going to throw him out and say: 'Don't be here.'"
The mayor has been criticised by unions over what they perceive as his lack of support and respect for the police amid the recent protests over the deaths of Mr Brown and Mr Garner.
Last week, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association asked officers to sign a petition calling for Mr de Blasio to be barred from attending their funerals if they were killed in the line of duty.
And on Saturday night, several officers turned their back on Mr de Blasio as he entered a news conference about the shooting.