The first African-American police chief of Charlottesville, Virginia, abruptly resigned Monday, about two weeks after a scathing independent review criticized his “slow-footed response” to violence at a white nationalist rally this summer....
Earlier this month, a former federal prosecutor hired by the city released a report that was sharply critical of Thomas and other law enforcement officials.
The report from former U.S. Attorney Tim Heaphy said Thomas’ response was “disappointingly passive” as the violence began to escalate on Aug. 12, the day of the “Unite the Right” rally that drew hundreds of white nationalists from across the county. A woman was killed that day when a car plowed into a crowd of people who were peacefully protesting.
According to the report, as brawling broke out between rally attendees and counterprotesters, Thomas said, “Let them fight, it will make it easier to declare an unlawful assembly.”
(AP News)