OPD apologizes for Facebook 'unauthorized post'

Emotions were high Monday as news of Omaha’s latest deadly shooting and the search for the suspect spread.

After releasing the name and picture of the suspected gunman, 23-year-old Dontevous Loyd, the Omaha Police Department took to its Facebook page to apologize for an expletive in a post re-sharing that information.

Loyd is sought in connection with a Sunday evening shooting that left a 2-year-old and her mother dead, and three others critically injured.

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Someone posted “Turn this [expletive] in. Now.” on the department’s Facebook page shortly after a post with the suspect information.

In a statement a short time later, the Omaha Police Department said it was an “unauthorized post that should not have been posted” and apologized.

Read the full statement below:

"We would like to extend an apology for the post that recently went out with the updated information on Dontevous Loyd. It was an unauthorized post that should not have been posted. We sincerely apologize for the unprofessional language. It was not the intent for that to be a public comment.

Thank you to everyone that brought it to our attention immediately. Most people recognized instantly that we would not post something like that and inquired as to whether or not we were hacked. No we were not hacked. It was a human error and we will take extra steps to make sure that it does not happen again.

Thank you for your support in this matter.
Bridget"

Many comments on the apology sympathized with whoever made the accidental post.

“Please don’t reprimand whomever did it too harshly; I think I speak for a lot of Omaha citizens when I say I appreciate seeing that kind of passion from our law enforcement. It may have been inappropriate, but it’s exactly what we all were thinking. Good luck catching him,” wrote one user.