The mother of New York City cop killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley spoke out, apologizing for the havoc and devastation her son caused when he killed two police officers in cold blood before taking his own life, CNN reports.
"Ismaaiyl was a very troubled young man whose life was in turmoil and spiraling out of control," Shakuwra Dabre told CNN affiliate WABC in a statement. "We were estranged for a few years, with occasional contact. I am deeply sorry for the loss of the two innocent men who were killed, and offer my sincerest condolences to their families."
This is not the first time Dabre has voiced the horror she felt over what her son had done. She also offered condolences to the families of those slain in an interview with the New York Daily News, CNN notes.
"And please accept my deepest condolences, sincerely. As a mother now I hurt for the loss of my son. Just like they're hurting for the loss of their sons," she said.
The other victim of Brinsley's violent spree, Shaneka Thompson, the girlfriend who was shot in the stomach, did not appear to be mentioned in the apology.
Brinsley had a long criminal record, and it was known that he suffered from mental illness. Former charges against him include theft, property damage, possession of a firearm by a felon and discharging a gun, CNN notes.
Brinsley's family struggled to understand how he remained free even after he kept on committing crimes. "They kept releasing him into the streets," Jalaa'a Brinsley, a relative, told another CNN affiliate, WCBS. "So isn't that a problem that the justice system should be asking, not us?"
Read more at CNN.