Nixon: Last Night Was Unacceptable, We Must Do Better

Tuesday during his press conference Gov. Jay Nixon said the the National Guard’s presence in Ferguson will be massively increased for tonight.

Partial transcript as follows: 

I am deeply saddened for the people of Ferguson who woke up this morning to see parts of their community in ruins. It’s a heart breaking sight. Seniors afraid to leave the house, school cancelled, kids scared to go outside and play. What they’ve gone through is unacceptable. No one should have to live like this, no one deserves this. We must do better and we will. This morning and into this afternoon I met with guard and law enforcement leaders, all agree that the violence we saw in the areas of Ferguson last night cannot be repeated. 

That is why in order to protect lives and property, we are bringing more resources to Ferguson and other parts of the region to prevent a repetition of the lawlessness experienced overnight. The national guard presence will be ramped up significantly in Ferguson and ensuring that they are ready to act quickly to prevent violence. First, we are deploying hundreds of additional guardsmen to Ferguson stationed throughout the community to protect homes and businesses. With these additional soldiers, law enforcement officers will be better able to focus on protecting lives and property in the community. The Missouri national guard will also continue to provide security at critical locations, including the Ferguson police department. Last night more than 700 guardsmen were at nearly 100 vital facilities throughout this region in both the city and the county and I thank them for their work.

It’s a testament to the professionalism of local law enforcement, interstate highway patrol, and the guard that no one was killed or seriously injured last night. Third, the guard’s rapid response teams will be positioned so they are ready to act at a moment’s notice. Altogether, there will be more than 2,200 national in the region. Lives and property must be protected. This community deserves to have peace. We will provide safety and security to the region.

Follow Pam Key On Twitter @pamkeyNEN