Ferguson Attack Likely Attempt to Shatter Race Relations Progress - Holder

US Attorney General Eric Holder said that the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri could be an attempt to undercut the recent positive steps to reduce racial bias in the city.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri could be an attempt to undercut the recent positive steps to reduce racial bias in the city, US Attorney General Eric Holder said on Thursday.

“This really disgusting and cowardly attack might have intended to unravel any sense of progress that exists, but I hope that does not in fact happen,” Holder stated during a press conference.

Holder explained that the attack on the Ferguson police officers took place when the US Department of Justice (DOJ) began to see “real important signs of progress,” after it released a report detailing racial bias in the city’ police and court.

The Attorney General called the attack “a pure ambush,” and said that he is ready to allocate all DOJ and US Federal Bureau of Investigation recourses necessary to investigate the attack.

The two officers were shot on Thursday morning during protests that erupted after Ferguson’s police chief Thomas Jackson stepped down. A manhunt is underway to find the perpetrator.

In the beginning of March, the DOJ released a 100-page report about law enforcement practices of Ferguson detailing the city police department and municipal court intentionally racially profiled African Americans and violated their rights.