Pictures of an undercover California Highway Patrol officer aiming a firearm at demonstrators protesting recent grand jury decisions in the police-involved killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown have gone viral, stoking anger and fear as protests in the Bay Area continue to result in looting and arrests.
In the two photos, the plainclothes officer can be seen pointing a handgun at a camera and a crowd while standing over a man who appears to be covering his head.
Oakland Police Lt. Chris Bolton confirmed the officer was an undercover CHP investigator on his verified Twitter account and referred all questions to the CHP.
A spokeswoman for the CHP said the agency is only responding to email inquiries about the matter. Calls to an Oakland police spokesperson seeking additional comment were not returned, and it was not immediately clear whether the clash happened in Oakland or Berkeley.
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