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Austin police confirm social media threat to kill officers Wednesday

During a speech at a memorial service in Dallas Tuesday that took a sharp turn into politics, President Obama said that he realized how inadequate his words have been at creating lasting change.

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In the short term, they’ve also been woefully inadequate at quelling threats against police. The president encouraged police and those who protest against them to pray for an open heart so that they could appreciate each others’ perspectives. It’s a nice thought, but for the moment, police are busy trying to stay alive.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo on Tuesday confirmed a specific threat to kill officers on 6th Street on Wednesday. KEYE-TV reports that someone opened a social media account just long enough to post the threat before shutting it down again.

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Earlier, the police chief declared a staffing emergency, requiring all patrol shifts to be filled to 100 percent. Other police departments have taken similar measures, such as requiring officers to patrol in pairs.

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