Police sergeant posts 'KILL THEM ALL' comment amid Black Lives Matter protest while using Facebook fake name. He's been suspended.

A sergeant with the Colorado Springs Police Department has been temporarily suspended and transferred after an internal affairs investigation confirmed he wrote "KILL THEM ALL" and "KILL EM ALL" amid a Black Lives Matter protest while using a Facebook fake name, KCNC-TV reported.

Image source: KCNC-TV video screenshot

What are the details?

The department said Sgt. Keith Wrede used the pseudonym Steven Eric to comment on KRDO-TV's June 30 Facebook livestream coverage of the protest during which participants blocked traffic on Interstate 25 with about a dozen cars then exited the vehicles with placards and signs in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, KCNC said, adding that the demonstration lasted about an hour and most protesters left before officers responded.

Image source: KCNC-TV video screenshot

KRDO approached police days later after receiving a tip that Wrede was the source of the comments, KCNC reported.

Image source: KCNC-TV video screenshot

Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski on Monday called the comments "unprofessional, distasteful, and not reflective of our department," KCNC said, adding that Wrede was penalized with a 40-hour suspension, loss of more than $2,000 in wages, removal from his specialized unit, and departmental reassignment.

But Niski asked the public not to judge the sergeant for this single act and to consider the positives stemming from his two decades of service, the station added.

"It was determined that the comments were made off-duty out of frustration, and there was no indication of any physical action or intent to cause harm," the chief wrote in a letter to the public, KCNC said. "I am in no way minimizing Sergeant Wrede's words. His comments were unacceptable, have damaged our relationship with members of our community, and fell short of our standards."

Niski's letter also answered demands to immediately fire Wrede, the station said:

"We have heard concerns from many community members and are also aware of misinformation or misconceptions regarding our role and response to this investigation. I would like to first start by addressing the demand for termination. These requests were for immediate termination before our investigation was even completed. While I understand frustrations, Sergeant Wrede, just like our community members, are afforded due process whenever any type of investigation takes place. I have also heard from many that I did not address these comments or refused to provide information during the internal investigation. From day one, I have taken the stance that the comments made on the live-stream were unprofessional, distasteful, and not reflective of our department. As mentioned earlier, public employees are entitled to due process under the law, and in any investigation, we do not release details as it is on-going. We owe it to our community and our employees to make sure a thorough and fair investigation is completed without any undue influence."

'"While his statements were harmful and reprehensible, I cannot deprive the community of a good police officer and his services because of an isolated incident of an error in judgment," Niski also stated, according to KCNC. "We hope that you can accept our apology and be assured that the CSPD and Sgt. Wrede will continue to faithfully serve the public."