Milwaukee police officer who shot Sylville Smith identified, threats follow
posted at 9:01 pm on August 17, 2016 by John Sexton
The identity of the police officer who shot and killed Sylville Smith appeared on social media and was confirmed today by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Photos of the officer on social media with his name (and some with his address) prompted responses encouraging violence against him:
As of Tuesday, at least 3,000 people have shared a Facebook photo of the 24-year-old Milwaukee patrolman who fatally shot 23-year-old Sylville Smith – some of them adding furious and threatening comments.
“Now y’all see his face if he’s seen anywhere in the city drop him,” read one post. Another called for a gun so the person could “shoot him right in his head.”
The posters gave the officer’s name, Dominique Heaggan, and some included his home address. The Journal Sentinel has independently confirmed his identity, which has not been released by the Police Department. He is also known as Dominique Heaggan-Brown.
The NY Daily News published some examples of other responses condoning violence against Heaggan-Brown online:
“Do whatever ya’ll need to do to this man,” wrote one person.
Another wrote: “They coming for yo a–, Mr. Postman.”