Cop Who Pointed Gun at Protesters Is Suspended

Officials say a police officer who was part of the effort to keep peace during protests in Ferguson, Mo., has been suspended indefinitely for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at demonstrators, then cursing and threatening to kill one of them. A St. Louis County police spokesman says the incident involving an officer from the St. Ann Police Department happened late yesterday. The officer's name hasn't been released. A county police sergeant took immediate action, telling the officer to lower the weapon and escorting him from the area, said the spokesperson.

The development comes as Attorney General Eric Holder arrived in Ferguson today to meet with community members in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting, reports the Wall Street Journal. And elsewhere, a grand jury convened to begin gathering evidence about the fatal shooting. Protests were relatively peaceful last night, prompting Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson to say that they may have reached a "turning point." (City officials in Ferguson are considering equipping their officers with cameras.)