Baltimore police commissioner Anthony W. Batts has been fired

The police commissioner of Baltimore, Anthony W. Batts, has been "let go" by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, according to a tweet from The Baltimore Sun:

Earlier Wednesday, the Baltimore city police union reported that the rioting in the wake of the unexplained death of Freddie Gray in police custody was "preventable," and concluded that the "overwhelming sentiment of officers is that the Baltimore Police Department's response to the riot was lacking in many areas," The Baltimore Sun reports. The police union also stated that Commissioner Batts sought to divide the police department rather than unite it during the turbulent days following Gray's death.

Gray, 25, was arrested April 12 in Baltimore and died a week later after suffering a spinal injury. The state medical examiner's office concluded his death was a homicide and could not be ruled an accident since officers did not follow safety procedures "through acts of omission," The Baltimore Sun reports.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Update: During a news conference, Mayor Rawlings-Blake praised Batts for his service, but said it was time for change. “This was not an easy decision but it is one that is in the best interest of Baltimore. The people of Baltimore deserve better and we're going to get better.” Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Davis will serve as interim commissioner, Rawlings-Blake said.