US police officer fired after threatening minor on Facebook

A police officer in US' Kansas city was fired after he threatened an African-American woman's five-year-old daughter on Facebook.

Rodney Lee Wilson worked with Overland Park Police Department in Kansas, Buzzfeed reported on Monday.

"We'll see how much her life matters soon. Better be careful leaving your info open where she can be found :). Better hold her close tonight, it'll be the last time," Wilson posted below LaNaydra Williams' picture of her daughter named India.

"It was obvious that our officer did not meet the standards of professionalism for the Overland Park Police Department. Overland Park has terminated the officer, effective immediately," read the statement from Overland Park Police Department.

The department first thought that Wilson's Facebook account might have been hacked.

But the inquiry led to the truth that it was Wilson who posted that comment.

"I want to assure our community, and those outside our community, that our highest priority is the safety and welfare of the citizens of Overland Park," Police Chief Frances Donchez Jr. was quoted as saying.

"I want to publicly apologise to those affected by our officer's personal actions," Donchez added.

A criminal probe was underway as a result of information discovered during the course of the personnel investigation.

An African-American man Philando Castile, 32, was shot by a police officer after a traffic stop in Minnesota last week, which created a furore across the US and on social media.

Castile's girlfriend went live on Facebook immediately after her fiance was shot by police in his car.

Castile's death occurred within a day of the shooting of 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Sterling was killed during an altercation with two white police officers and a video of the incident recorded by a bystander on his smartphone triggered outcry on social media.

--IANS

na/ksk